Specialty Crop Block Grant ProgrAM
Announcement
USDA Increases Funding for New Specialty Crop Program;Reminds Producers of Upcoming Deadlines - Expires January 31, 2025
SCOPE & AUTHORITY
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) was authorized on December 21, 2004, by Section 101 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004. The Act authorized the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide grants to states to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. In 2008, Section 10109 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Farm Bill) amended the Act, which established the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Farm Bill (SCBGP-FB). The Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s division of Value-Added Plant Production administers these grant funds which are based on the state’s value of specialty crop production.
Grant Information
KDA administers funding received from the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) each year. The amount of funding received by KDA is based on specialty crop acreage and production value on an annual basis. Projects must enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in either domestic or foreign markets and must provide a benefit to more than just the applicant. Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, culinary herbs, tree nuts, Christmas trees, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. Projects will be evaluated on how well they enhance the competitiveness of Kentucky’s specialty crops, soundness or plan, measurable outcomes and return on investment. Projects may include but are not limited to:
- Pest and disease control
- Enhancing food safety
- Developing new and improved seed varieties
- Increasing consumption of specialty crops
- Market development
- Developing good agricultural handling and manufacturing practices
Eligibility
- Government agencies – local, state and federal
- Non-profit organizations
- For-profit organizations
- Colleges and universities
DEFINITION OF SPECIALTY CROPS
"Specialty crops are defined in law as" fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture." Specialty crops are plants that are intensively cultivated. There are many plants that are specialty crops when cultivated, but can also be found in wild populations. Wild plants are not considered specialty crops even though they may be used for the same purpose as cultivated plants. Please note that hemp is not considered a "specialty crop." For a full list of eligible specialty crops, click here.
CURRENT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Specialty Crop Block Grant:
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) is pleased to announce a new two tier competitive solicitation process to award Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funds for projects that solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Kentucky. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Agricultural Market Service (AMS) has allocated these funds to the states and KDA will be administering these funds as competitive grants. The due date for the 2025 Specialty Crop Block Grant Farm Bill Funds concept proposal is February 21, 2025. As well as 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organizations and quasi government entities, small business owners and privately owned companies are also eligible to apply.
More information on allowable costs is located in section 4.7.2 Allowable and Unallowable Costs and Activities of the RFA.
FUTURE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
For general information about the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, including eligible specialty crops, please visit the USDA website at the link below.
Projected Timeline
| January 2025 | Announce grant opportunity and publish request for proposals |
| February 21, 2025 | Submission deadline for proposals |
| March – April 2025 | Evaluation and selection of applications for inclusion in State Plan |
| May 2025 | Submit State Plan to USDA |
| October 2025 | Award announcement from USDA-AMS |
Helpful Links