The Missouri Department of Agriculture announced Monday it awarded 20 grants to support specialty crop production in Missouri, including two for Lincoln University totaling more than $77,000.
The state awarded more than $900,000 in funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Specialty Crop Block Grant program, which is used to expand agricultural markets, increase agricultural production, research crop-specific solutions for pests and diseases, and educate growers and the public about specialty crops.
The USDA defines specialty crops as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruit, maple syrup, honey, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.
Public universities grabbed 12 of the 20 grants the state handed out.
Lincoln, Missouri's only historically Black land grant university, is getting $47,985 to study growing native ferns as specialty crops and $29,688 to investigate pathogen spread and develop Boxwood Blight management strategies.
University officials declined to comment on the funding until they had more information available.
Lincoln received a $49,843 grant through the program last year, which was used to evaluate native edible plants as specialty crops.
Researchers are using the money to promote the cultivation of nettles, wild leeks, wild onions, mints, cup plant, cattail and goldenglow.