California Agave Wins Nearly $1 Million in State Grants
Funds support CA agave industry and UC Davis efforts to advance new climate-resilient crop alternative
Quick Summary
- The California Agave Council has secured a nearly $500,000 grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to support the growth of the agave industry in California.
- UC Davis also received nearly $500,000 for agave research, marking a significant investment in the future of this climate-smart crop.
“USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is investing $23.1 million to support 44 projects across California this year,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “As we look to expand the competitiveness of the specialty crop sector, we also see the value of funding research for potential new crops to help growers adapt to climate change and develop successful marketing strategies. The California Agave Council is well positioned with research partners and innovative growers to bring a new high-value specialty crop to market and I wish them well.”
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The University of California, Davis, has been awarded a grant to conduct foundational research on agave, a promising drought-tolerant crop for California. The project, titled "California Agave: Foundational Agronomy, Viral-load, Genetic Diversity, and Metabolites Characterization for a Drought-tolerant Specialty Crop," aims to address the challenges of low water availability and extended droughts facing California's farming communities.
Full article: https://www.californiaagave.org/announcements/Blog%20Post%20Title%20One-23jz9