USDA Approves Groundbreaking Funding Boost For UVM's Center for Food Science........Specialty Foods Resource Center For Farmers And Entrepreneurs Greatly Expanded

January 10, 2000

WASHINGTON (Jan. 10) – New York's Cornell University and the University of Vermont's Center for Food Science today won a groundbreaking $3.8 million federal grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand their collaborative efforts to enhance the value of speciality foods produced in the Northeast, according to Sen. Patrick Leahy.

As part of a larger multi-million initiative designed to promote agriculture research and develop new agriculture products, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today said that Cornell University's Northeast Center for Food Entrepreneurship application for $3.8 million in federal funds had been approved. Cornell University will collaborate with the UVM's Center for Food Science -- established in 1997 with $250,000 in federal start-up funds secured by Sen. Patrick Leahy and an identical amount of funds from the Vermont legislature -- on the initiative. Leahy and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) had strongly encouraged the agriculture department to approve the funding request. The $3.8 million in federal funds will be spread over four years and is expected to be split almost evenly between Cornell and UVM.

"Specialty foods is a growth market that offers unlimited potential to Vermont farmers and entrepreneurs. Vermonters have excelled in the specialty foods market but maintaining and expanding that growth is dependent on access to the resources and knowledge at UVM's food science center" said Leahy, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "These funds will enhance the resources and accessability of the food science center, which is a pivotal partnership with farmers and entrepreneurs looking to start up or expand a specialty food product."

The food science center at UVM has become a critical resource where companies or entrepreneurs can turn to for production advice or product testing, but there were additional needs for more resources. The partnership with Cornell will enable the center to improve outreach and share knowledge and resources with another premier agriculture university. As Leahy and Schumer wrote in their letter of support to Secretary Glickman, "Specialty foods have great potential to increase the economic return on agricultural products in the northeast and throughout the country. Cornell and the University of Vermont, with their experience in the field and specialized facilities are uniquely qualified to demonstrate the potential of this kind of resource to generate jobs and enhance the value of our farm products."

The additional funds awarded under today's grant will also enable the UVM Food Science Center to expand its food safety activities. The center will add food safety experts to its staff who will provide critical technical expertise and knowledge on food-borne diseases and safe food production processes – essential knowledge that many small businesses cannot afford to acquire on their own. Some of the additional services that the UVM center will immediately be able to provide with today's grant include: equipment to experiment with new food ingredients, marketing assistance, and business advice for specialty foods products.

University of Vermont contacts: Catherine Donnelly 656-0147 or Paul Hale 656-8181