Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (Louisiana)

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry (LDAF) is seeking applications for its 2022 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

Donor Name: Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry (LDAF)

State: Louisiana

County: All Counties

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 03/15/2022

Grant Duration: 34 Months

Details:

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funds Louisiana projects that solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through promotion and research development programs that serve farmers and consumers through state trade shows, retail promotions, chef demonstrations, media advertising, education, and research. The intent is to fund projects that can produce the highest degree of measurable benefits to Louisiana specialty crop producers in relation to each dollar spent.

Grant Period

Grant funds can be awarded for sub-grantee projects lasting up to two years and ten months. The project start period may not begin prior to October 1, 2022, and shall end no later than August 15, 2025.

Work to be Performed and Scope of Services Required

To be considered, projects must meet one or more of the following and support a program directed toward enhancing the competitiveness of Louisiana-produced specialty crops. Each project must identify at least one expected measurable outcome that specifically demonstrates the project’s impact in enhancing the competitiveness of eligible specialty crops.

Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops;
Increasing the competitiveness of specialty crop farmers, including smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, socially disadvantaged producers, veteran producers, and/or underserved communities by addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers;
Improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems;
Improving the capacity of all entities in the specialty crop distribution chain to comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (21 U.S.C. Chapter 27) 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;
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;
Specialty crop development of sustainable production practices;
Leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for funding consideration the project(s) must enhance the competitiveness of Louisiana-grown specialty crops in either domestic or foreign markets.
Individual farms are NOT eligible to apply for grant funds for profit. Producer associations, state and/or local organizations, state or local governments, qualified educational institutions, non-profits, and other specialty crop stakeholders are eligible recipients.
Applications must describe how the project potentially affects and produces measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public rather than a single organization, institution, or individual. Grant funds will not be awarded for projects that directly 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.
Multi-state projects are eligible to apply and encouraged to provide a growing need for solutions to problems that cross state boundaries such as, but not limited to food safety; plant pests and disease; research; crop-specific projects addressing common issues.
To be eligible applicants must provide a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number.
For organizations that are governed by a board/committee, a signed resolution by the authorized representative of the entity stating approval to conduct the project and to seek funding must be provided at the time of the application submission to be eligible.
USDA applications are not eligible unless they are project partners with producer associations, state and/or local organizations, state or local governments, qualified educational institutions, non-profits, or other specialty crop stakeholders in Louisiana.
Funds will not be awarded for projects whose products or services promote or provide profit that solely benefits a single organization, institution, particular commercial product, or a single individual. Grant funds CANNOT be used to compete unfairly with private companies that provide equivalent projects or services. Single organizations, institutions, and individuals are encouraged to participate as project partners.