A $20,000 USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant funds free Kentucky guidance on chestnut weevil, blight and root rot, built with University of Kentucky extension.
FALLS OF ROUGH, KY, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — EBB Farms, a chestnut orchard and nursery in Grayson County, is honored to receive a $20,000 grant through the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program to create free, Kentucky-specific pest and disease guidance for chestnut growers. The three-year project is led by EBB Farms Lone Hill, LLC with its partner United Chestnuts (DTM Collective LLC) and the University of Kentucky Fruit and Nut Extension team.
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill, funds projects that strengthen specialty crops in the states. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is funding eight projects in 2026, including this one.
Chestnut weevils are a common pest in chestnut orchards, much as insect pests are an expected part of growing corn and soybeans. EBB Farms currently uses a hot water treatment to kill weevils in harvested nuts and will explore spraying in the coming season, documenting the results. Much of the guidance growers rely on comes from other states, leaving Kentucky growers without local recommendations for the chestnut weevil, blight, and Phytophthora root rot and ink disease. Starting in 2027, this project will study these pests in EBB Farms’ orchards and turn what we learn into free guidance on timing, technique, and what to look for.
“We are truly honored to receive this funding, and grateful to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the University of Kentucky extension team for their support,” said Melanie Jones, Co-Founder of EBB Farms and United Chestnuts. “Growers should not have to guess about the pests on their land. We want to help Kentucky chestnut growers, our customers, and ourselves learn more, and this grant gives us the means to do it.”
What This Award Means for Kentucky Growers:
– Guidance Built for Kentucky Conditions: Three protocols will cover the chestnut weevil, blight, and Phytophthora and ink disease, written for heavy clay soils and humid summers.
– Free, Practical Resources: A photo reference of more than 30 labeled images, a pest and disease guide, and a research summary will be available at no cost to growers.
– Research That Starts in the Orchard: Monitoring will cover at least five acres at EBB Farms, reviewed with University of Kentucky extension specialists.
– Learning in the Field: A free public farm tour will share results with at least 30 Kentucky farmers and landowners.
– Building on Earlier Work: The project extends the UC Academy guide “Protecting Young Chestnut Trees from Ambrosia Beetle Attack,” published in March 2026.
“This award is not just about EBB Farms, it’s about the growers who will use these resources to protect their first trees,” said Kimberly Douglass, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of United Chestnuts. “We’re proud to build this with the University of Kentucky and to share what we learn on our own land.”
For more information about the grant and the free resources, visit www.unitedchestnuts.com.
About EBB Farms
EBB Farms, a chestnut orchard and nursery in Falls of Rough, Grayson County, Kentucky, is a working model of what chestnut farming can be. Founded in 2017 by Brad and Melanie Jones, the farm grows more than 2,500 chestnut trees on nearly 200 acres and sells chestnut seedlings and fresh chestnuts. Grounded in the belief that small farms can grow big ideas, EBB Farms is rooted in real work and built for the long haul. For more information, visit www.unitedchestnuts.com/ebb-farms/
About United Chestnuts
United Chestnuts is an education and marketing platform for U.S. chestnut growers. Built on EBB Farms, a working orchard and nursery in Grayson County, Kentucky, United Chestnuts shares what is learned in the field to help growers, landowners, and food buyers turn first plantings into working orchards and chestnuts into everyday food. For more information, visit www.unitedchestnuts.com
Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Kimberly Douglass
info@unitedchestnuts.com
678.234.4894
Kimberly Douglass
United Chestnuts
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Media gallery
