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Delaware News


  Category: Department of Agriculture


Eleven Delaware sites awarded grants for urban agriculture and community garden projects

Department of Agriculture | Former Governor Jack Markell (2009-2017) | Office of the Governor | Date Posted: Friday, June 24, 2016

Eleven Delaware urban farm and community garden projects are receiving support to grow and thrive through a new initiative designed to strengthen communities and improve nutrition.



Delaware Forest Service awards volunteer fire grants

Department of Agriculture | Forest Service | Kent County | New Castle County | Sussex County | Date Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2016

The Delaware Forest Service (DFS) has awarded $22,000 in grants to eight volunteer fire companies to purchase equipment to fight wildfires and improve their wildfire readiness and capabilities. In the past 10 years, the DFS has provided 122 grants totaling more than $288,000 to volunteer fire companies through its Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Program, funded by the U.S. Forest Service.



Middletown FFA wins forestry career development event

Department of Agriculture | Forest Service | Kent County | New Castle County | Sussex County | Date Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Middletown’s FFA Chapter won the 2016 Forestry Career Development Event (CDE) – a challenging test of tree identification skills, forestry knowledge, and math abilities – held this week at Brecknock Park in Camden. Middletown will go on to compete in the forestry event at the 89th National FFA Convention & Expo from Oct. 19 to 22, 2016 in Indianapolis, IN. The Milford FFA Chapter placed second and will go on to compete in the forestry competition at the Eastern States Exposition or “The Big E!,” scheduled to take place in Springfield, MA on September 17.



Beehives set up at Blackbird Forest Education Center

Department of Agriculture | Forest Service | Kent County | New Castle County | Date Posted: Thursday, June 16, 2016

State officials hope a new addition at the Blackbird Forest Education Center in Townsend will become a “hive of activity” as its occupants get “busy as bees” teaching visitors about the natural environment, the valuable role bees play in crop pollination and honey production, and how forests and flowering tree species can contribute to bee health and well-being.

“Trees for Bees” is the theme of the 10th “National Pollinator Week” (June 20-26, 2016). The 2016 theme highlights the many natural benefits that flowering native tree species such as tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), black willow (Salix nigra), northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), and maples (Acer spp.) can offer to foraging bees.



More than 120,000 acres of Delaware farmland now preserved as program marks 20th year

Department of Agriculture | Date Posted: Wednesday, May 18, 2016

More than 120,000 acres of Delaware farmland are now permanently preserved for future generations, state officials announced today, marking the 20th anniversary of the state’s preservation program. With 17 farms on 2,245 acres entering the latest round of the program, the new milestone means that 24 percent of First State farmland is now preserved for perpetuity.






  Category: Department of Agriculture

Eleven Delaware sites awarded grants for urban agriculture and community garden projects

Department of Agriculture | Former Governor Jack Markell (2009-2017) | Office of the Governor | Date Posted: Friday, June 24, 2016

Eleven Delaware urban farm and community garden projects are receiving support to grow and thrive through a new initiative designed to strengthen communities and improve nutrition.



Delaware Forest Service awards volunteer fire grants

Department of Agriculture | Forest Service | Kent County | New Castle County | Sussex County | Date Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2016

The Delaware Forest Service (DFS) has awarded $22,000 in grants to eight volunteer fire companies to purchase equipment to fight wildfires and improve their wildfire readiness and capabilities. In the past 10 years, the DFS has provided 122 grants totaling more than $288,000 to volunteer fire companies through its Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant Program, funded by the U.S. Forest Service.



Middletown FFA wins forestry career development event

Department of Agriculture | Forest Service | Kent County | New Castle County | Sussex County | Date Posted: Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Middletown’s FFA Chapter won the 2016 Forestry Career Development Event (CDE) – a challenging test of tree identification skills, forestry knowledge, and math abilities – held this week at Brecknock Park in Camden. Middletown will go on to compete in the forestry event at the 89th National FFA Convention & Expo from Oct. 19 to 22, 2016 in Indianapolis, IN. The Milford FFA Chapter placed second and will go on to compete in the forestry competition at the Eastern States Exposition or “The Big E!,” scheduled to take place in Springfield, MA on September 17.



Beehives set up at Blackbird Forest Education Center

Department of Agriculture | Forest Service | Kent County | New Castle County | Date Posted: Thursday, June 16, 2016

State officials hope a new addition at the Blackbird Forest Education Center in Townsend will become a “hive of activity” as its occupants get “busy as bees” teaching visitors about the natural environment, the valuable role bees play in crop pollination and honey production, and how forests and flowering tree species can contribute to bee health and well-being.

“Trees for Bees” is the theme of the 10th “National Pollinator Week” (June 20-26, 2016). The 2016 theme highlights the many natural benefits that flowering native tree species such as tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), black willow (Salix nigra), northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), and maples (Acer spp.) can offer to foraging bees.



More than 120,000 acres of Delaware farmland now preserved as program marks 20th year

Department of Agriculture | Date Posted: Wednesday, May 18, 2016

More than 120,000 acres of Delaware farmland are now permanently preserved for future generations, state officials announced today, marking the 20th anniversary of the state’s preservation program. With 17 farms on 2,245 acres entering the latest round of the program, the new milestone means that 24 percent of First State farmland is now preserved for perpetuity.