Specialty Crop Grants Available

USDA has invited state departments of agriculture in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands to submit applications for grant funds under the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will award approximately $49 million in block grants to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture).

Each state that submits an application that is reviewed and approved by AMS will receive a minimum grant amount of one-third of 1 percent of $49 million. In addition, AMS will allocate the remainder of the grant funds based on the value of specialty crop production in each state, in relation to the national value of specialty crop production using the latest available cash receipt data.

Instructions to apply for fiscal year 2009 grant funds were published in the May 22 Federal Register, or are available on the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Web site at www.ams.usda.gov/fv/.

Applications must be received no later than Aug. 26.

For more information, call Trista Etzig at 202-690-4942 or e-mail trista.etzig@usda.gov.