Georgia Department of Agriculture announces Specialty Crop Block Grant Program for 2021

The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) is pleased to announce the competitive solicitation process to award the 2021 Specialty Crop Block Grant. The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funds projects that “enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.” Specialty crops are defined as: fruits and tree nuts, vegetables, culinary herbs and spices, medicinal plants, as well as nursery, floriculture, and horticulture crops. Please see the specific listing of all eligible and ineligible crops at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp/specialty-crop.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is expected to make grant funding available through the 2018 Farm Bill, with Georgia’s share being approximately $1.3 million this year. “The goal of this grant program is to help fund research, marketing, and education projects that can produce the highest degree of measurable benefits to Georgia’s specialty crop producers, in relation to each dollar spent,” said Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black. “We encourage organizations such as IRS-designated non-profits, commodity commissions, grower associations, state and local government entities and colleges and universities to consider applying.” Note that USDA-AMS rules state that grant funds will not be awarded for projects that solely 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 with eligible entities.  As in previous years, GDA will accept Concept Proposals for review starting on Feb. 1, 2021. Completed Concept Proposals will be due to GDA on February 26, 2021 at Noon. By mid-March, the approximately top-thirty most impactful project proposals will be invited to submit a full application. Once finalized, each application will be carefully reviewed and evaluated by a Review Committee sometime in April or May,” said Jen Erdmann, Director of Grants for the Department. “Then, all Department-approved projects will be combined and written as one grant submission to the USDA/AMS. Upon approval from USDA, GDA will notify applicants of their status, which we expect to be in late September 2021.”  Please refer to the links available on the GDA grants webpage located at www.agr.georgia.gov/grants.aspx for the 2021 Request for Applications (RFA), the Concept Proposal form and for additional information. For questions, please contact [email protected].