The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for the 2025 Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) program.
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/19/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 3 Years
Details:
The Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) program funds projects that will increase the competitiveness of Minnesota-grown specialty crops in domestic and foreign markets. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines specialty crops as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, floriculture, and processed products that have 50% or more specialty crop content by weight, exclusive of added water.
Funding Priorities
- MDA is seeking projects for the Minnesota 2025 SCBG program that address the following issues affecting the specialty crop industry:
- Improving distribution systems, promotion, and marketing of specialty crops.
- Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops.
- Researching and developing techniques that focus on pest and disease control and prevention.
- Developing new or improved specialty crop seed or plant varieties.
- Researching and developing techniques to improve sustainable production of specialty crops and environmental outcomes.
- Improving food safety and compliance with food safety standards and requirements across the specialty crop supply chain.
- In addition:
- Projects that benefit beginning farmers will receive priority. A beginning farmer is an individual or entity that has not operated a farm or ranch for more than 10 years and that substantially participates in the operation.
Funding Information
The MDA anticipates awarding approximately $1.25 million using a competitive review process. Project funding is contingent on USDA AMS making funds available to the MDA. The maximum award is $125,000 and the minimum award is $25,000.
Grant Period
MDA anticipates that grant contract agreements will be effective from November 2025 through April 2028; they may be extended through September 29, 2028.
Eligible Projects
Projects must enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops that are grown in Minnesota by:
- Leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops;
- Assisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops;
- Expanding availability and access to specialty crops; or
- Addressing local and regional challenges confronting specialty crop producers.
Eligibility Criteria
- Nonprofit organizations, producer organizations, government agencies, universities, and other organizations involved in Minnesota agriculture are eligible to apply. Proposals may involve collaborations or partnerships between producers, industry, academia, or agricultural organizations. Applicants may cooperate with another public or private organization but it is not required. Applicants may submit more than one application but may be asked to prioritize those projects.
- Projects proposed by individual producers, for-profit businesses, or commercial entities are eligible only if they demonstrate a significant benefit to the broader specialty crop industry. Projects proposed by such applicants must provide knowledge that is transferable to other entities and incorporate a clear plan for disseminating the results of their research, production methods, etc., to provide value to the specialty crop industry at large.
For more information, visit MDA.
