The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is accepting proposals for the 2026 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
Donor Name: Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA)
State: Colorado
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/13/2026
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) partners with CDA to administer this federal grant program. The purpose of SCBGP is to enhance the competitiveness of Colorado specialty crops in areas such as marketing, promotion, education, research, trade, and nutrition. Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture).
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) assists State departments of agriculture to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by:
- Leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops;
- Assisting producers with research and development related to specialty crops;
- Expanding availability and access to specialty crops; and
- Addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers.
Priorities
USDA encouraged 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, 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;
- Investing in specialty crop research, including research to focus on conservation and environmental outcomes;
- Developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops;
- Pest and disease control;
- Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops;
- Improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems; and
- Sustainability.
In addition to USDA’s federal priorities, CDA encourages applicants to submit concept proposals that focus on the following State priorities:
- Creating and expanding pathways to increase profitability and access diverse markets;
- Addressing labor challenges;
- Investing in new agricultural technology; an
- Responding to pest, disease, and climate pressures.
Eligibility Criteria
Producer groups, organizations, and associations, as well as state and local governments, colleges and universities, nonprofits, and other specialty crop stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts.
For more information, visit CDA.
