The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) is requesting nominations of qualified individuals active in the specialty crop industry, academia and public sectors to establish a professionally diverse Review Committee for the upcoming IDALS Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (IDALS SCBGP).
Donor Name: Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
State: Iowa
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/03/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 3 Years
Details:
USDA Agricultural Marketing Services (AMS) provides the funds to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state.
Priority Areas
Priority areas identified for 2025 are:
- Projects that have the potential to significantly expand, enhance, and improve local production, processing, distribution, and markets (demand).
- Research projects increasing yields, including but not limited to organic production, including focus on pest and disease control and new varieties.
- Projects that provide training, resources and technical assistance, or information to growers on creating and sustaining profitable businesses.
- Educational projects that focus on increasing knowledge of specialty crop nutrition, preparation, and accessibility.
Funding Information
IDALS has set the maximum amount of a subaward at $30,000.
Grants Period
Contracts will be issued for 12 months, 24 months or the maximum of 30 months.
Eligible Grant Projects
- To be eligible for a grant, the project(s) enhance the competitiveness of Iowa grown specialty crops that benefit the industry as a whole and that do not directly benefit a particular product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual. Additional points are awarded to projects that are within the identified priority areas.
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) encourages projects pertaining to the following issues affecting the specialty crop industry: 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 crops distribution chain in developing Good Agricultural Practices, Good Handling Practices, and 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: enhancing food safety; developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops; pest and disease control; and development of organic and sustainable production practices. Increasing competitiveness may include developing local and regional food systems, and improving food access in underserved communities.
Eligible Specialty Crops
- Specialty crops are defined in law as “fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.” USDA – Agricultural Marketing Service provides a more detailed definition and lists eligible plants commonly considered fruits and tree nuts, vegetables, culinary herbs and spices, medical plants and nursery, floriculture, and horticultural crops.
- Both fresh and processed specialty crops are eligible. Ineligible commodities are also listed. Livestock and poultry are not considered specialty crops.
Eligibility Criteria
- IDALS will accept proposals for consideration for specialty crop block grant funds from Iowa agencies, universities, institutions, and producer, industry, and community based organizations. To be eligible for a grant, the project(s) must solely enhance the competitiveness of Iowa grown specialty crops that benefit the industry as a whole and that do not directly benefit a particular product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual. Grant funds will not be awarded for projects that solely benefit a particular commercial product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual. Single organizations, institutions, and individuals are encouraged to participate as project partners. Applicants must be a legal entity and have the legal capacity to contract.
- Eligible applicants must reside, and/or conduct their business or organization in Iowa and must be in good standing. Awardees will be required to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) and have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number. The UEI is a 12- character alphanumeric Id assigned to an entity. This number is replacing the DUNS number. If you are registered in SAM.gov you already have a Unique Entity ID. It is viewable at SAM.gov.
For more information, visit IDALS.
