Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP)

Program Background

The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) amended the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004. Under the amended Act, the Secretary of Agriculture is directed to make grants to States for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012 to be used by State departments of agriculture to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 provided funding for fiscal year 2013, section 10010 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 provided funding for fiscal years 2014 through 2018 and section 10107 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 will provide funding for fiscal years 2019 through 2023.

Definition of Specialty Crops

Eligible Applicants and Projects

State and/or local organizations, producer associations, academia, community based organizations, and other specialty crops stakeholders are eligible to apply. SCBGP grant funds will be awarded for projects of up to 2 years duration. Examples of projects aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of specialty crops include, but are not limited to: 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 U.S. government participates; improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems; assisting all entities in the specialty crop distribution chains in 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 organic research to focus on conservation and environmental outcomes; enhancing food safety; developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops; pest and disease control; and sustainability. SCBGP funds shall be used for projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops and benefit the specialty crop industry as a whole. 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. Projects must enhance specialty crop industry competitiveness. Applications for grant funds should show how the project potentially impacts and produces measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public rather than a single organization, institution, or individual.

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Training and Certification Cost-Share Program

2023-24 Arizona Specialty Crop Guide
Your guide to Arizona Farmers’ Markets, U-Pick Farms, Local Harvest Schedules, and more.