BISMARCK – Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says $52,500 is available to help North Dakota communities and schools plant orchards and gardens in 2017.
Communities and schools are eligible to apply for grants of $500 to $7,500. The grants are available on a competitive basis.
“A community orchard project can help foster community spirit, provide service hours to individuals in a community and can be used as an outdoor living classroom for education in local schools,” Goehring said.
Goehring said grant funds can be used for plants, trees, planting supplies, soil amendments, irrigation and fencing supplies, but not permanent structures, the purchase of land or capital expenditures.
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“This is the fourth year of funding for these grants with 33 past recipients,” he added. “We’ve seen these projects bring communities together and provide an example for others.”
The North Dakota State University Extension Service has developed a guide, Starting a Community Orchard in North Dakota, to help applicants in preparing grant applications. It can be found on the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) website at www.nd.gov/ndda/files/Marketing/OrchardManualFinal.pdf .
Application forms for the grants are available on the NDDA website at www.nd.gov/ndda/program-info/local-foods-initiative/community-orchard-project .
Grant applications must be received by January 20, 2017.
Goehring said questions about the grant program should be directed to Jamie Good, local foods marketing specialist at (701) 328-2659 or jgood@nd.gov .
The North Dakota Community Orchard Project is part of NDDA’s Local Foods Initiative, funded through the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
