The US Department of Agriculture grants range from $43,000 to $250,000 and this will go towards research, education and marketing projects which involve tree fruits, hops and potatoes. Washington State University is involved in 10 of the 24 projects.

Some of the projects include:

• $248,000 - Washington State University to encourage grape growers to use self-propagated cuttings to improve the shortage of rootstock in the future;
• $249,000 - Washington State University researchers for studying orchid management techniques for the new Cosmic Crisp apples, which are bred and trademarked by Washington State University breeders;
• $100,000 - Pear Bureau Northwest to market Washington and Oregon pears in China. This is open to all varieties of US pears, however this is only for three years.

The USDA considers Washington's apple, cherry, hops and potato industries as specialty crops compared to the national monoliths of corn, soybeans and wheat.

Washington is second to California in the US specialty crop production, as California leads with apples, cherries and hops in Yakima Valley.

Over the past eight years, the state has received $23 million in specialty crop grants from the US Department of Agriculture.