Specialty Crop Multi-State Program

Program Background

Created by the 2014 Farm Bill, the 2017 SCMP makes available approximately $7 million to help develop solutions to problems affecting the specialty crop industry across state boundaries. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) administers the program and competitively awards funds to State departments of agriculture solely to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by funding collaborative, multi-state projects that address the following regional or national level specialty crop issues: food safety; plant pests and disease; research; crop-specific projects addressing common issues; and marketing and promotion.

The Arizona Department of Agriculture is a “Participating State” department of agriculture and will accept applications from multi-state partners.

The Request for Applications (RFA) below is published by AMS and the AZDA cannot deviate from its guidance.  Please take the time to read the RFA carefully and follow all given instructions.  Completed application packets are due to the AZDA no later than 5:00 p.m. (EST), Monday, September 25, 2017. Application packets should be submitted via e-mail to [email protected] and/or [email protected].

The RFA does give Participating States the discretion to determine the amount of Indirect Costs it will need to administer an SCMP grant should one be awarded. The AZDA has determined that a minimum of 4% or half of the total 8% allowable Indirect Costs will be required for any applications submitted to the AZDA. The AZDA may negotiate additional Direct Costs based on the budget and scope of the project.

When can I submit an application?

The deadline for multi-state partners to submit applications to Participating State departments of agriculture is 5:00 PM Eastern time on September 25, 2017.

The deadline for Participating State departments of agriculture to submit applications to AMS via grants.gov is 11:59 PM Eastern time on October 24, 2017.