The Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA) is now accepting applications for the Wyoming Specialty Crop Grant Program.
Donor Name: Wyoming Department of Agriculture
State: Wyoming
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/31/2023
Size of the Grant: $100,000
Grant Duration: 19 months
Details:
This year, the WDA is estimated to receive up to $338,000 from the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program contingent on funding availability.The allocation is to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Wyoming by increasing the production and consumption of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture and floriculture.
The goal of the WDA Specialty Crop Program is to substantially enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops 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; and
- Addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers.
Grant Priorities
- Supporting Specialty Crop Practical Research in the following areas:
- Variety testing and selection
- Disease, pest and soil management
- Organic and non-organic food production
- Commercial seed enhancement
- Innovation of specialty crop production processes/method
- Marketing
- Providing Specialty Crop Farmer Education on:
- Sustainable food production (non-organic and organic)
- Food safety methods
- Farm to Plate marketing
- Value-added development and production
- Development and expansion of food hubs and cooperative CSA’s
- Season Extension
- Beekeeping and pollinator habitat
- Providing Specialty Crop Consumers with:
- Information on Farm to Plate
- Improved specialty crop availability in underserved communities
- Information on Food Safety
Funding Information
Funding amount requested is limited to a minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $24,500 for one to two year proposals and $100,000 for proposal lasting two to three years.
Grant Duration
Proposed projects should start no earlier than January 1, 2024 and end no later than September 1, 2026.
Eligible Projects
USDA encourages entities to develop projects pertaining to the following issues affecting the specialty crop industry:
- 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, by developing “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 adaptation and mitigation strategies for farmers in drought-stricken regions of the country
- Supporting the growth of organic specialty crops
- Developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops
- Pest and disease control
- Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops
- Increasing opportunities for new and beginning farmers
- Improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems
- Protecting and improving pollinator health
- Developing local and regional food systems
- Improving food access in underserved communities and among veterans
Eligibility Criteria
State and/or local organizations, government entities, producer associations, academia, community based nonprofit organizations, producers and processors and other specialty crop stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts. While single entities are eligible, a requirement of the USDA specialty crop program is that projects must also benefit more than one organization, or individual.
For more information, visit Wyoming Department of Agriculture.
