Funding Available to Increase Competitiveness of Delaware Specialty Crops

Jun 06, 2025

The Delaware Department of Agriculture is now accepting proposals for the 2025 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The federal Farm Bill is allotting approximately $340,000 through a competitive grant process to fund innovative projects supporting specialty crops and creating new and better markets for the Delaware specialty crop industry. The Department will accept applications through 4:30 p.m. (EST) on June 24, 2025.

Please note this deadline varies significantly from previous years’ requirements, allowing only a 20-day lead time for submission. We appreciate the challenge this short turnaround may create, but it’s needed to meet USDA timelines for this year’s grants.

Source : delaware.gov

Video: Turning Better Feed Into Better Herds: Innovation in Forage Harvesting

What happens when a dairy farmer gets frustrated with equipment that isn’t doing its job? In this episode, we sit down with Horning Manufacturing founder Leon Horning to hear how a problem in the feed bunk led to a globally recognized forage equipment company.

Born out of a third-generation dairy operation in Pennsylvania, Horning Manufacturing started with one goal: helping cows get more nutrition from silage. Leon shares how his father, Leon Sr., built the first kernel processor rolls in the family farm shop after seeing whole corn kernels pass through cows undigested — costing valuable feed efficiency and milk production.

We explore the company’s journey from a side project on the farm to an international manufacturer serving dairy farmers, beef operators, and custom harvesters around the world. Along the way, Leon discusses the evolution of pull-type forage harvesters, the engineering behind Horning’s “plug-and-play” kernel processor kits, and why reducing downtime during harvest can make or break a season.

The conversation also dives into Horning’s row-independent corn heads, practical equipment design, real-world customer stories, and how innovations born in the field continue to shape the company today.

Whether you’re a producer, equipment enthusiast, or simply love stories of grassroots innovation, this episode offers a fascinating look at how one farm family turned necessity into industry-changing technology.

Contact Horning Manufacturing today at 717-354-5040
https://www.horningmfg.com/