Marine shrimp research gets slice of $4.5 million organic agriculture grant

Clemson University has been awarded $431,203  to research  "Organic Farming of Marine Shrimp: A Holistic Approach to Management of Feeds & Microbial Dynamics."

The award is part of a $4.5 million research grant allocation announced today by US Agriculture Secretary, Mike Johanns, to address organic agricultural issues and priorities, including global competitiveness.

"To succeed in organic agriculture, producers must be creative and willing to take certain risks - attributes that American farmers have exhibited since the early days of farming," Johanns said. "This research will help organic producers to manage their risks by providing information that will help to increase production while decreasing costs."

Through the Integrated Organic Program, USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) will administer eight grants to 13 states.

The grants will focus on two areas; improving the competitiveness of organic producers, and assisting producers and processors who have already adopted organic standards to grow and market high quality organic agricultural products.

Organic agriculture is heavily influenced by local conditions, and making the transition from conventional production to organic production is generally an information-intensive process. To help farmers in this transition, CSREES generates new information through grants for research and outreach.