The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved funding of $3.1 million for projects to support Washington State’s fruit and vegetable growers.     The USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant will fund 20 projects managed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and other organizations, 13 of which relate to tree fruit and grapes. Recipients were selected through a competitive process. All of the awards have matching funding or in-kind donations provided by the applicants. Funded projects involving tree fruit and grapes include: Access to institutional markets: $112,957 to the Washington State Department of Agriculture to improve producers’ access to institutional markets, […]