Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce Specialty Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill FY2012 Final Performance Report Agreement # 12-25-B-1470 Submitted 12-18-2015 PROGRAM CONTACT Susan Head, Grants Management and Marketing Specialist Market Development Division 121 North Jefferson Street Jackson, MS 39201 Phone: (601) 359-1196 Email:
[email protected] Mississippi Specialty Crop Block Grant-Farm Bill FY 2011 Annual Report Agreement #12-25-B-1237 INTRODUCTION The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) was awarded $282,041.69 in funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program-FB (SCBGP-FB) in September 2012. MDAC has partnered with five organizations to implement 11 projects to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops throughout the state. The final project report for “Public Relations Campaign to Promote Buying Local Specialty Crops” was approved in the First Annual Report. The final reports for, “Reniform Nematode Implicated in Sweet Potato End Rot: the key to economic losses?”, “Mississippi Sweet Potato Promotion/Marketing Campaign,” and, “Developing Targeted Direct Marketing Strategies for Mississippi Specialty Crop Producers Using Regional Consumer Market Research,” were approved in the second annual report. The remaining final reports are located at the beginning of this document for review. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Conducting Cultivar and Timing Trials to Support Cut Flower & Vegetable Growers………..…….4 Using Shade Cloth for Summer Production of Specialty Crops in High Tunnels…………………….14 Mississippi