WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, on Tuesday announced $10,000,000 from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to support a research project seeking to improve the sustainability of the nation’s food supply at West Virginia University.
This project will create a collaborative, sustainable and economical biomass for value-added products program in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
“WVU’s research capabilities continue to shine across our state,” Capito said. “It is great to see this investment coming to support our nation’s supply chain when we need it the most. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely limited the capabilities of our producers across the county, and creating alternative options for our value added products would benefit consumers, producers, and our overall economy. NIFA has been a great partner to West Virginia.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted issues within our national food supply chain. Many areas of America can’t access healthy food options, especially rural communities, like those in West Virginia,” Manchin said. “This funding will allow West Virginia University to research ways to improve our food supply chain so we are ready to handle a national crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic or natural disasters while also conducting research that could help reach communities in food deserts across the nation.