$100M in specialty crop funding available through USDA programs

More than $100 million in grant funding is available for specialty crop initiatives through a pair of USDA Agricultural Marketing Service programs.

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) has $86.6 million available in funding for projects designed to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through marketing, education and research, while $14.3 million is available through the Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP) to fund collaborative multi-state partnerships to boost specialty crop competitiveness.

SCBGP applications will be accepted until June 8. Funds are distributed to U.S. states and territories based on a formula that considers both specialty crop acreage and production value. Participating states and territories will subaward funding to locally led projects to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, floriculture, and nursery crops.

Subaward applications should be made through state departments of agriculture. A list of state contacts is available on the SCBGP website.

SCMP awards competitive grants to participating state departments of agriculture as well as local governments, tribal governments, institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations residing in nonparticipating states. Funding supports projects that address food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific common issues, and marketing and promotion for specialty crops.

State departments must partner with organizations in at least two different states to qualify. SCMP applications will be accepted until Oct. 16.

Applications for both programs must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov.

An April 3 budget proposal includes a 19% cut in USDA funding from 2026 levels, including a $61 million cut in AMS funding.