The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has announced that applications are now open for the 2023 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP).
Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/13/2023
Size of the Grant: $125,000
Grant Duration: 2.5 years
Details:
Grants fund projects that will increase the competitiveness of Minnesota grown specialty crops in domestic and foreign markets. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines specialty crops as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, floriculture, and processed products that have 50% or more specialty crop content by weight, exclusive of added water.
Project Types
States are encouraged to develop 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 (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 Group GAP) 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
Sustainability

Funding Priorities
Minnesota is seeking projects for their 2023 SCBG that pertain to the following issues affecting the specialty crop industry:

Improving distribution systems and marketing of specialty crops, such as reducing costs, increasing promotion and awareness, or creating new methods to achieve and sustain profitable businesses.
Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops.
Researching and developing of techniques that focus on pest or disease control.
Developing new or improved specialty crop seed or plant varieties.
Researching and developing techniques to increase sustainable production of specialty crops, including growing season extension, adaption to drought and floods, strengthening seed and crop systems, and increasing soil health.
Improve 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 other support for farmers, packers, and processors to enhance food safety.

Funding Information
Applicants may request a grant award of at least $20,000 up to a maximum of $125,000 per project that spans up to 2.5 years.
Eligibility Criteria

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) encourages the following groups to apply for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP):

Nonprofit organizations
Producer organizations
Government agencies
Universities
Tribal organizations
Other agricultural groups


For-profit entities, farms, and other businesses who want to develop sector-wide research and development projects are also eligible.

For more information, visit MDA.