Program Funding Priorities

Market development and access

International

• Understanding and addressing trade barriers or regulatory constraints in foreign markets (e.g. tariffs, TRQs, FTAs, quotas, bilateral agreements).
• Obtaining market information and providing product exposure through trade shows, conferences, seminars, market research, consumer testing, in-bound and outbound trade missions, etc.
• Applying new technologies to help identify new customers and facilitate shipments (e.g. packaging configurations, customer data, logistics, transportation enhancements, etc.).

Local and farm-direct, regional, and domestic markets

• Obtaining market information and providing product exposure through trade shows, conferences, seminars, market research, consumer testing, in-bound and outbound trade missions, etc.
• Connect farmers to consumers by enhancing direct marketing opportunities that highlight production practices, farmers, and growing locations.
• Support the development and advancement of co-operatives to leverage grower and producer efforts.
• Develop and enhance economic opportunities in local communities that increase the awareness and consumption of specialty crops.Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops by expanding access at schools, at work and in local neighborhoods.
• Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops by expanding access at schools, at work and in local neighborhoods.

On-farm labor needs

• Connecting growers with hiring resources, providing technical information about laws and compliance, or developing mechanization or methodologies for routine or repetitive labor demands. Create and implement workforce training programs or tools to maintain the technical skills required to keep the Oregon specialty crops sector competitive.

Cross commodity collaboration

• Promoting cross commodity collaboration on specialty crop projects that address industry wide issues faced by growers/producers. Assisting all entities in the specialty crop distribution chain through transferable results that may enhancing market access and increase sales by addressing food safety, sustainability, or other outcomes.

Food safety compliance and traceability

• Investing in specialty crop research toward food safety compliance and traceability through implementation of practices, trainings, or systems development and preparation for and/or assistance in compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

Addressing regulatory burden

• Supporting projects that address regulatory burden on specialty crop growers. Connecting growers with resources, providing technical information about laws and compliance, or developing mechanization or methodologies for routine or repetitive laws and compliance.

Productivity enhancements, innovation, value added

• Investing in projects that address productivity enhancements, innovation, value added products and other production efficiencies for specialty crops.

Agriculture and food-related priorities identified by Oregon Solutions Network Regional Solutions Centers

• To address rural economic development in Oregon. Projects must also comply with one or more of the required previously listed program priorities.