News

Organization recieves federal grant

Gateway Greening  in St. Louis is one of thirteen agricultural organizations, markets and universities that have received federal funding for specialty crop production in Missouri. The grants awarded total more than 300 thousand dollars statewide.

Gateway Greening manages City Seeds Urban Farm, which will utilize the grant for many purposes.

To those St. Patrick Center clients who volunteer at City Seeds Urban Farm, it is considered food security project, a job training program and a therapeutic horticulture program.

Annie Mayrose, coordinator of City Seeds Urban Farm in St. Louis, says this grant is something that will benefit those who volunteer, work and visit the farm.

“Individuals as well as groups come to the farm and when they come to the farm the clients lead them so it’s a great leadership experience and self-confidence booster for our clients. They in-turn educate themselves and learn about where there food may come from and how it’s grown. So many people still haven’t been exposed to that.”

City Seeds, a two and a half acre farm was originally established from a USDA grant about five years ago on land provided by the Department of Transportation.

A couple of the other specialty crop grants awarded in Missouri go to the University of Missouri for studies on grape management practices and Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute in Columbia for specialty crop training and outreach. The one-year grants are funded and administered through the USDA Specialty Crop Block grant program.