The Alaska’s Division of Agriculture announces the availability of grant funds for the purpose of enhancing the competitiveness of Alaska’s specialty crops including fruits, vegetables, horticulture and nursery crops.
Donor Name: Alaska’s Division of Agriculture
State: Alaska
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/10/2023
Size of the Grant: up to $60,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) distributes block grant funds annually, which are administered by State departments/ divisions of agriculture to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. The SCBG program seeks to increase production, consumption, access, knowledge, and sustainability of Alaska Grown specialty crops, sustain farmers’ livelihoods, and strengthen local communities. Grants are awarded to professional producers, universities, extension services, soil and water conservation districts, or schools working in cooperation with a business or non-profit. Grants must meet the objectives of promoting the specialty crop industry.
The USDA AMS defines specialty crops as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops. Many Alaska Grown products- including most livestock, dairy, fuel/ feed grains, hay, and some forms of aquaculture- are excluded from the grant program, due to USDA restrictions.
Funding Information
For 2023, project proposals will be funded with an award up to $60,000. Alaska Division of Agriculture recommends the following parameters: smaller awards are designed for small exploratory projects and may be shorter than a three year project period, and more substantial awards are designed for industry wide impact using evidence based research or building on previous projects with strong industry support.
State Funding Priorities
The Alaska Division of Agriculture, in partnership with statewide specialty crop stakeholders, will identify the following program funding priorities for 2023. Funding priorities are listed in no particular order of importance and are not ranked.
- Enhancing food safety;
- Improving the capacity of all entities in the specialty crop distribution chain to comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act, for example, developing “Good Agricultural Practices,” “Good Handling Practices,” “Good Manufacturing Practices,” and in cost-share arrangements for funding audits of such systems (including USDA GroupGAP) 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;
- Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops;
- Improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems; and
- Sustainability
Alaska Division of Agriculture strongly encourages projects proposing innovative partnerships between researchers and producers that will address one of these funding priorities.
Eligibility Criteria
Any entity may apply, but projects must benefit more than one individual, business or organization.
- Proposed project benefits must benefit the specialty crop industry and align with program requirements, including funding restrictions.
- Projects must enhance the competitiveness of U.S. or U.S. territory-grown specialty crops in either domestic or foreign markets.
- Each project must identify at least one expected measurable outcome and outcome indicator that specifically demonstrates the project’s impact in enhancing the competitiveness of eligible specialty crops.
- Applications should describe how the project potentially affects and produces measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public rather than a single business, organization, or individual. AMS will not fund projects that benefit a particular commercial product or provide a profit to a single business, organization, or individual. Single businesses, organizations, or individuals are encouraged to participate as project partners.
- Applicants with previous participation that have incomplete or unsatisfactory performance may be ruled ineligible for participation at the sole discretion of the Division of Agriculture.
- The Division of Agriculture strongly encourages projects proposing innovative partnerships that will develop new knowledge to strengthen specialty crop producers’ operations.
- Multi-state projects that address challenges and opportunities that cross state boundaries are eligible.
For more information, visit Alaska’s Division of Agriculture.
