WV Farm Bureau Magazine April 2015 | Page 13

Applications Available for Specialty Crop Block Grant Program The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is now accepting project proposals for the 2015 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). “Our Department is proud to offer grant monies and resources to help expand the specialty crop industry in our state,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Walt Helmick. “This program allows our agriculture industries the opportunity to expand, develop new tools for their agribusiness enterprises and continue to move agriculture forward. I have asked the selection committee to maximize utilization of these program funds, and I look forward to seeing the innovative ideas that will emerge from these projects.” The scope of projects is deliberately openended, but they must deal with specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables, horticultural products, tree nuts, maple syrup, Christmas trees and honey, among others. Products explicitly excluded are livestock, eggs and commodity-type crops such as corn and soybeans, to name a few. A more detailed list of specialty crops can be found at http://www. ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/scbgpdefinitions. All projects must focus on industry-related research, education, improved production or marketing of specialty crops. The program is available to groups and organizations that are qualified to receive grant funding and cannot be used to fund individual farms or enterprises. The SCBGP is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by WVDA. West Virginia expects to receive approximately $200,000 in 2015. The Grant Request for Proposals, Application Cover Sheet, Project Proposal Template, and 2015 Grant Application Manual, are available on the WVDA website (www.wvagriculture.org) in both PDF and Word formats. Applications are due to WVDA by the close of business Friday, April 10, 2015. Herbal Formula Eases Farmers’ Aches And Pains “I read about Steuart’s Pain Formula in a farm magazine,” says Rickey D. Snow, Hood, California. “I hurt my shoulder January 18th 2013, and had constant pain until the middle of March. My doctors could do nothing, within 10 minutes of applying pain formula, the pain was completely gone.” Jack Zimmerman from Elysian, Minnesota is a disabled Afghanistan war veteran. He stepped on an IED in 2011 & lost both of his legs. “After I spend a day in my wheel chair I end up with a lot of back, neck, & shoulder pain. Within a half hour of applying Steuart’s Pain Formula I am pain free. Now, I can tolerate a whole day in my wheel chair.” The cream contains extracts of the herbs comfrey and arnica in a liposome base that penetrates the skin rapidly, says Gary Steuart, who founded the company in 1982. Warren Ward of Pemberton, “People use the product to relieve Minnesota says his knees ached so joint and muscle pain associated terrible at night that he couldn’t get with arthritis and injuries,” to sleep without taking pain killers. Steuart says. “An orthopedic surgeon told me No Odor both my knees were shot, I had Won’t Stain Clothes bone rubbing on bone, and I No Hot or Cold Sensation needed knee replacement surgery. 2 oz. Pain Formula: $14.95 Then someone told me about 5 oz. Pain Formula: $29.90 Shipping and Mailing: $7/order Steuart’s Pain Formula. I started using it and in 3 ^\