The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is seeking applications for its Specialty Crop Block Grant Program to enhance the production and competitiveness of Specialty Crop industries in Massachusetts.
Donor Name: Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
State: Massachusetts
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/08/2022
Size of the Grant: $40,000 – $90,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The overall goal of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (“SCBGP”) is to leverage efforts to market and promote specialty crops, assist producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops, expand availability and access to specialty crops, and address local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers. MDAR’s goal with the SCBGP is to increase access to healthy, affordable food options, with a preference for fresh, locally sourced, Massachusetts-grown, caught, or harvested healthy food, and to improve economic opportunities for nutritionally underserved communities in urban, rural, and suburban localities.
Funding Information
The suggested dollar value of projects is between $40,000 and $90,000 per project.
Funding Period
The grant period may begin on October 1, 2022, or later. All projects shall be completed by September 29, 2025, or earlier.
Eligible Projects
- Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops;
- Improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems;
- Assisting all entities in the specialty crop distribution process in implementing practices and standards that improve food safety which may include but are not limited to the “Commonwealth Quality Program”, “Good Agricultural Practices”, “Good Handling Practices”, “Good Manufacturing Practices”, and in cost-share arrangements for funding audits of such systems for small farmers, packers, and processors;
- Investing in specialty crop research, including research to focus on conservation and environmental outcomes;
- Developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops;
- Pest and disease control;
- Development of organic and sustainable production practices
Who May Apply
- Socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers
- Eligible non-profit organizations
- Local government entities
- For-profit organizations
- Industry trade associations
- Producer groups
- Commodity commissions
For more information, visit Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
