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WSDA grants broaden state agricultural marketing and trade efforts

OLYMPIA – Agricultural commodity commissions, associations and other public or nonprofit organizations will broaden their marketing promotion efforts and work to reduce trade barriers with more than $213,000 in grants from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA). The grants fund 16 projects, which are matched with in-kind contributions.

Contracts will be signed in August and the projects are to be completed by June 30, 2007. A similar number of organizations received funds in January 2006 for projects that promote Washington products or focus on reducing trade barriers to international markets. Funding for both rounds of grants was provided in 2005 by the state Legislature.

“These grants help our larger agriculture-related industries remain competitive in the global market,” said Janet Leister, manager of WSDA’s International Marketing program. “They also present opportunities for smaller organizations to promote Washington’s food products to local communities in our state.”

Selected for funding in the current round of grants were:

• American Dwarf Hop Promotion Association – $15,000 to produce promotional materials to increase awareness and sales of low trellis dwarf hops.
• Cascade Harvest Coalition – $15,000 to continue work on Farm-to-Table workshops to be held in Skagit, Snohomish and Pierce counties. The workshops consist of a facilitated networking session with the goal of increasing localized food sales and farm incomes.
• Grant County Wine Promotion Coalition – $8,400 for promoting and increasing awareness and sales of Grant County wines.
• Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance – $15,000 to assist in opening a farmers market in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood of Seattle in 2007.
• Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association – $15,000 to enhance efforts to get information to chefs on the new Pacific Coast Shellfish Environmental Certification program. The association will work with organizations to build a program that caters to the specific needs of chefs who are involved in shellfish sustainability efforts.
• Skagit Red Potato Growers Association – $15,000 to provide funding to market fresh red, white, and yellow potatoes at the annual Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Show in San Diego in October.
• Washington State Asparagus Commission – $15,000 to host a buyers' tour for both domestic and international asparagus buyers. Efforts will be geared to creating awareness and demand for Washington asparagus.
• Washington Fish Growers Association – $10,000 to redesign the association’s Web site by enhancing advertising functions and improving search engine capabilities.
• Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association – $15,000 to expand the capability of the association’s Web site to include information about plants and landscape design services. The group would like to advertise Web services through broadcast and print media as well as through signage at display gardens around the state.
• Wenatchee Valley Farmers Market – $15,000 to conduct multiple promotion strategies such as radio and newspaper advertising, special events, signs, newsletters, and brochures to promote the general market.
• U.S. Hop Industry Plant Protection Committee – $10,000 to help establish import tolerances in Canada for pesticides approved for use on hops in the U.S.
• Northwest Horticultural Council – $4,776 to help offset costs for inspectors from Taiwan to monitor activities at Washington apple production sites for compliance with phytosanitary standards (apples free of pests or diseases). Discussions also will center on meeting Taiwan’s trade work plan to maintain market access for Washington apples.
• Washington State Apple Commission/Pear Bureau NW – $15,000 to bring key importers and retailers from Peru and Ecuador to the Evergreen State to gain greater exposure to the apple and pear industries. They will meet with potential shippers.
• Washington Cattlemen’s Association – $15,000 to host a tour of Koreans to learn more about Washington’s beef industry. The association seeks to increase the market share for beef both domestically and internationally.
• Washington State Potato Commission – $15,000 to expand a profitability analysis on U.S. fresh potatoes being exported to the Canadian market. The project builds upon goals to remove anti-dumping duties placed on U.S. fresh potatoes exported to British Columbia.
• Washington State Asparagus Commission – $15,000 for participation in the Washington produce pavilion at the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Fresh Summit Show in October.

Note to Editors: Contact names and phone numbers for these organizations are available on the WSDA Web site at www.agr.wa.gov/marketing/grants.htm.

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