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Daniel Kuennen, Director Rural Development Center Richard A. Henson Center Room 2147, UMES Princess Anne, MD 21853 410/651-6183 · 410/651-6207 fax E-mail: Daniel S. Kuennen
Small Farm Institute Web Site
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UMES recently received a one million dollar grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for the purpose of hydroponics greenhouse network development. The Small Farm Institute will be responsible for the hydroponics facility (2 to 2.5 acres) located on the campus. The central facility will be the hub for a network of off-site, privately owned contract facilities. The campus hydroponics facility uses defense-related predictive controls technology to heat, feed, and water long-stemmed rose plants. The network houses are also be fitted with these controls. The technology will be sold to new or retrofit greenhouses outside the network.
The central facility on the UMES campus will generate the growing stock for network houses and as a training facility for prospective farmers and business people. The research components of UMES will be cooperatively involved to develop the awareness and understanding of the network, involve students in work assignments, and develop research programs in the facility to enhance its operations. UMES is a natural sponsor for the project as a historically black university, 1890 Land-Grant institution of higher education with a research and service mission. UMES is affiliated with the USDA through research grants and memoranda of understanding with the Cooperative Extension Service as the educational outreach arm.
The central hydroponic greenhouse project has completed three grant agreements with federal and state grantor agencies:
- the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce;
- the Rural Business Enterprise Grant, Rural Development, USDA; and
- the Community Development Block Grant, Maryland Department of Business and Employment Development.
RDC Project Grants
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