MONTGOMERY, Ala. – USDA has awarded the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) $519,000 to fund projects that strengthen Alabama’s specialty crop industry through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). The program will fund 14 projects to enhance competitiveness of specialty crop growers by using marketing, education and research for Alabama’s specialty crop industry.
“Since I became Commissioner in 2019, the specialty crop industry including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts and nursery crops has grown tremendously. We’re proud of the success of these programs and the positive impact they’ve had on our farmers and communities,” said Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate. “ADAI is eager to help farmers accomplish their goals of increased production and market expansion of specialty crops. I encourage more people to apply and take advantage of these significant opportunities”
The funding to Alabama is part of a total of $72.9 million in non-competitive FY 2025 funding awarded to 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Island through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
A list and short summary of the 14 projects funded in Alabama are below.
Protected Culture Production of Strawberry Plant Materials in Alabama
This project will explore new methods for producing and propagating strawberry plants within the State of Alabama. This will provide growers with quality plant material at the appropriate time for planting each season. Project Budget – $40,000.
Sustainable Sweet Potato Farming: Nematode Management & AI-Based Crop Monitoring and Support for Small-Scale Farmers
Sweet potatoes are a valuable specialty crop in Alabama, contributing significantly to local agriculture and small-scale farming economies. However, plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) pose a persistent challenge. This project seeks to enhance nematode management practices in Alabama’s sweet potato industry by developing and evaluating sustainable designed antimicrobial and nematocidal peptide-based solutions. Project Budget – $33,699.60.
Tackling Strawberry Shelf-Life Issues for Alabama School Systems
Over the last decade, Alabama has seen a 40 percent rise in strawberry growers and currently 123 farms are producing strawberries. A major issue our local growers, distributors and school systems face is the fruit’s short shelf-life. Often strawberries are harvested and not handled appropriately leading to a shelf-life of three to five days. This proposal aims to test relative humidity exposure times on locally grown strawberry shelf-life and quality. Project Budget – $22,751.
Alternative Disease Resistant Specialty Crop for Sustainable Family Farms
This project will assess the overall performance and develop management recommendations for select novel bunch grape cultivars that are resistant to Pierce’s disease (PD) and have the potential to provide a new specialty crop for Alabama. Project Budget – $40,000.
AI-Based Precision Weed Management Approaches for Vegetable Crops
Weed pressure and control is one of the top management constraints in vegetable production with the favorable agroclimatic conditions in the southeastern U.S. further aggravating the problem. The presence of weeds competes with crops for nutrients, space and other resources and ultimately reduces yields. The goal of this project is to improve weed management in vegetable fields in Alabama, which can result in yield increases. Project Budget – $40,000.
Nano-Enabled Herbicides for Season-Long Control of Weeds in Young Pecans and Peaches
This project aims to develop and implement a slow-release system, made from lignocellulosic soybean hulls-based materials, to offset the rising costs associated with weed control in pecan and peach production systems. Fruit and nut production has a total state impact of over $49 million in Alabama. Pecan and peach production are a significant portion of this economic impact. Project Budget – $40,000.
Enhancing Specialty Crop Sustainability Through Research and Education
Specialty crop growers face significant challenges, including declining soil fertility, increasing pesticide dependence and limited market access, negatively impacting their productivity and profitability. These issues are particularly acute for small and underserved farmers, who often lack access to scientific knowledge, sustainable farming techniques and effective distribution channels, making it difficult for them to compete. Without intervention, these challenges will impede specialty crop production and limit consumer access to high-quality, locally grown crops. This project will address the following key objectives: implement strategies to improve crop yields and efficiency and provide hands-on training and outreach materials to small Alabama growers, enabling them to adopt best practices in sustainable agriculture. Project Budget – $39,000.
Introduce Disease-Tolerant Strawberry Cultivars to Combat Neo Disease
Strawberries rank among the top three major fruit crops in Alabama due to their increasing popularity and profitability. However, strawberry growers have been significantly impacted by fruit and leaf rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis (Neo-P). To combat this deadly disease, this study aims to identify cultivars that demonstrate improved tolerance to Neo-P and are well-suited for growth in Alabama and provide free disease testing for growers. Project Budget – $40,000.
Alabama Seed-to-Table Specialty Crops for Young Learners
Through “Alabama Seed-to-Table Specialty Crops for Young Learners,” Schoolyard Roots will strengthen their Gardens 2 Schools Program’s ability to provide access to specialty crops and empower students to make healthier food choices. Project Budget – $25,000.
Integrated Management of Plant-Parasitic Nematodes and Fungal Diseases in Sweet Corn Production in Alabama
Despite its economic importance, Alabama is behind its neighboring states like Florida and Georgia in fresh market sweet corn production (USDA-NASS, 2023). This project will assess the effectiveness of integrated management strategies including, resistant varieties, crop rotation, biological control and chemical treatments in reducing nematode and disease pressure. Additionally, the project will support growers through educational initiatives. Workshops and outreach activities will equip farmers with practical knowledge on implementing IPM strategies, ultimately enhancing crop resilience and profitability. Project Budget – $39,337.
Assessing Tomato and Pepper Varieties Resistant to Nematodes for Resilience in the Face of Foliar Diseases and Developing Long-Term Disease Management Strategies
The State of Alabama ranks 12th in USA for fresh vegetable market production. In Alabama, the best tomatoes are produced in Chandler Mountain along with St. Clair County and Slocomb in Geneva County. The project coordinator recently evaluated biochar amendment for reducing foliar infection by Xanthomonas and found its efficacy under greenhouse conditions. This project will conduct systematic assessment of each infection of foliar pathogens and nematodes that pose a risk of resistance breakdown against Xanthomonas and root-knot nematodes. The project will also evaluate biochar amendment as a part of integrated pest management. The project coordinator will communicate the findings with the growers by conducting field days as well as through our extension channels. Project Budget – $39,860.
Cutting Costs from Above: UAV Chemical Applications for Specialty Crop Labor Savings
Alabama’s nursery, Christmas tree and orchard industries are vital contributors to the state’s economy, generating over $536 million annually through direct sales and supporting numerous ancillary industries and jobs. However, labor remains the single largest production expense, accounting for up to 46 percent of total production costs in these sectors. Reducing labor demands while maintaining efficiency and precision in chemical applications is a pressing challenge for growers. Recent technological advancements have made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) a viable option for agricultural chemical applications. This project aims to evaluate, demonstrate and promote UAV technology in nurseries, Christmas tree farms and orchards. This will be accomplished by conducting on-farm trials, economic assessment, and grower education programs. This project will help establish BMPs, improve labor efficiency and accelerate adoption, ultimately reducing costs and increasing sustainability across Alabama’s specialty crop industries. Project Budget – $40,000.
Efficient Propagation and Growing Practices to Expedite Kiwifruit Farming
Kiwifruit production has been evaluated in some capacity in Alabama since the 1980’s. Auburn University has developed and patented several kiwifruit cultivars, primarily gold-fleshed kiwifruit that has higher value, marketability and consumer preference compared to green-fleshed kiwifruit. Project Budget – $40,000.
Bridging the GAP: Increasing GAP/GHP Audit Participation in Alabama Specialty Crop Growers
Small and mid-size producers seeking to grow their produce operations are seeking new market access points, many of which require food safety audits. An incentive to obtain and/or maintain the necessary credentials for food safety certification will promote more transactions with wholesale buyers and distributors. The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) will offer financial assistance to support market-driven food safety certification by reimbursing up to 75 percent of initial Good Agricultural Practices/Good Handling Practices (GAP/GHP) audit costs up to $800. Project Budget – $40,000.
Please contact Johnny Blackmon at 334-240-7257 or by email at johnny.blackmon@agi.alabama.gov for more information.