The Kansas Department of Agriculture is one of 15 recipients of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Federal State Marketing Improvement Program Grant. The grant award totals nearly $25,000 and will be used to host egg grading workshops for Kansas poultry producers.

 “The grant application was in response to a need identified by poultry farmers for increased egg grading training and education,” said Julie Roller, agriculture marketing specialist. “By accurately grading their eggs, farmers can take advantage of opportunities to sell eggs in local markets and expand retail distribution options.”

 The FSMIP grant will provide hands-on training for poultry farmers through collaboration between the Kansas State University Department of Animal Sciences and Industry and KDA. The grant will also assist farmers with part of the cost to purchase egg-handling equipment.

 The poultry industry, including egg production, contributes $112 million annually to the Kansas economy. These workshops will help fulfill KDA’s mission of providing educational resources and support to help expand markets for agricultural products while encouraging economic growth of the agriculture industry.

 The FSMIP grant provides matching funds to state departments of agriculture, state agricultural experiment stations, and other appropriate state agencies to assist in exploring new market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products, and to encourage research and innovation aimed at improving the efficiency and performance of the marketing system.