WASHINGTON (RFD-TV) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $86.6 million in grants to support the U.S. specialty crop industry through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
The funding will support 609 state projects across 56 states and territories. USDA says the program is designed to improve specialty crops’ competitiveness through innovation, marketing, and research.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says the investment aims to keep specialty crop businesses at the forefront of markets worldwide.
The projects will address the needs of producers growing fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops. According to USDA, the funding will support food safety, research, improved seed varieties, pest and disease management, community education about healthy eating, and efforts to make specialty crops easier and more affordable to bring to market.
Individual state investments include more than $4.3 million for Florida projects involving mangoes, blueberries, sweet corn, and muscadine grapes.
Texas will receive more than $2 million for projects supporting grapes, watermelons, pecans, onions and spinach.
Georgia will direct more than $1.7 million toward research, education, outreach and marketing for crops including pecans, blueberries, strawberries, peaches and Vidalia onions.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service administers the program. The agency’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program webpage provides a complete list of funded projects.
