The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is accepting project proposals for $1 million in federal funding to increase the visibility and competitiveness of the state’s horticultural specialty crops including fruit, vegetable, nursery, flower, and nut products.
Donor Name: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
State: Pennsylvania
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 12/02/2022
Size of the Grant: $1 million
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The Department of Agriculture (Department) announces a competitive solicitation process to award Specialty Crop Block Grant Program-Farm Bill funds for projects that enhance the competitiveness of this Commonwealth’s specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.
Program Objective
The purpose of the Federal Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (Program) is to 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.
Funding Information
- Approximately $1 million is available for grants under the Program.
- A project must have a start date of September 30, 2023, and a completion date of no later than September 29, 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
State and local organizations, producer associations, academia, community-based organizations and other eligible specialty crops stakeholders are eligible to apply for grants under the Program.
Eligible Projects
- Grants may not be awarded to projects that directly benefit a particular commercial product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution or individual.
- Grants must be for projects that are focused on an eligible specialty crop.
- Projects must enhance the competitiveness of eligible specialty crops and benefit the eligible specialty crop industry as a whole and may include, but are not limited to, projects such as:
- Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops.
- Participation of industry representatives at meetings of international standard setting bodies in which the Federal government participates.
- Improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems.
- Assisting all entities in the specialty crop distribution chains in developing good agricultural practices, including the use of cover crops for specialty crop production; 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 the use of cover crops for specialty crop production, organic research to focus on conservation and environmental outcomes and enhancing food safety.
- Developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops.
- Pest and disease control.
- Sustainability.
For more information, visit PDA.
