Developing new markets for specialty crops and expanding existing ones

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service has announced $169.9 million in funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

The funds will support the expanding specialty crop food sector and explore new market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products, according to a news release.

The total includes:

• $72.9 million available as part of the annual Farm Bill funding for the program; and
• An additional $97 million available as emergency funding for applications under this solicitation.

Congress provided this funding in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, due to COVID-19 impacts to the food system.

Grant project funding awarded as part of pandemic assistance can also go to organizations to assist farmworkers (e.g., for PPE and vaccination costs), projects to fund farmers, food businesses, and other relevant entities to respond to risks and supply chain disruption.

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funds are allocated to U.S. states and territories based on a formula that considers both specialty crop acreage and production value. Interested applicants should apply directly through their state departments of agriculture. A listing of state contacts is available on the USDA website.

Applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 11, accord to the release.

Any grant application submitted after the due date will not be considered unless the applicant provides documentation of an extenuating circumstance that prevented their timely submission of the grant application. For more information about grant eligibility, visit the SCBGP website.