Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $150,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) for West Virginia University (WVU). The funding will support the creation of a two-phase community training program that encourages West Virginia’s local produce growers to adopt the triple-wash process for their products.

“West Virginia’s farmers and ranchers are the backbone of our state, providing nutritious, locally-grown food for our communities. I’m pleased the USDA is supporting this important initiative at West Virginia University to strengthen the safety of our food supply,” said Senator Manchin. “As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for resources to ensure every family across the Mountain State has access to clean, fresh produce.”

This funding will help ensure that produce being sourced from local growers will be thoroughly cleaned and safe for consumption. The West Virginia Small Farm Center encourages small local produce growers to apply the triple-wash with antimicrobials to produce surfaces if their produce is eaten raw or grown close to the ground.