State Senate Panel Approves Specialty Crop Grant Program

The Pennsylvania Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee approved a measure in June that would create a block grant program to support the development of specialty crops, according to the bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Judy Ward (R-30th).

Senate Bill 661 would create the “Commonwealth Specialty Crop Block Grant Program” to support products that are not already covered under a similar federal program. The grants would be targeted to high-priority specialty crops, such as hemp, hops and hardwoods.

The new program would be open to state and local organizations, producer associations, academia,...