Specialty Crop Block Grant Program - Farm Bill (10.170)
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program - Farm Bill (Assistance Listing 10.170) is run by the Agricultural Marketing Service, part of the Department of Agriculture. It awarded $511 million in 395 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $1.3 million per award on average. 1 funding opportunity is open or forecast now.
The typical award was $545,445. Half of the 395 awards fell between $343,783 and $1.2 million, and they ranged from $18,000 to $31.6 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$511 million
- Grant awards395
- Typical award$545,445
- Awarded in FY 2025$72.9 million
- Size rank368 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceProject grants
Key findings
- Annual funding fell from $125 million in fiscal 2021 to $72.9 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 368th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 80% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 56 states and territories.
What the program funds
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) implements the Specialty Crop Block Grants through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) and the Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP) to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by: (1) leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops; (2) assisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops; (3) expanding availability and access to specialty crops; and (4) addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers. (5) for such other purposes determined to be appropriate by the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with specialty crop stakeholders and relevant State departments of agriculture.
Open opportunities
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Eligible entities for the SCBGP include the State department of agriculture, agency, commission, or department of a State government responsible for agriculture within any of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Eligible entities for SCMP are the same; however, non-Federal entities residing in nonparticipating States may apply for, compete, and if merited receive a grant directly from AMS.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Projects must enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Projects must solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. ;
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Award range and average, in the agency's words
$250k to $23 million.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: One project that was completed under the SCBGP was to assess the profitability of specialty crop production in the state to demonstrate economic opportunities for producers to adopt or expand local fruits and vegetables by performing analysis of current fruit and vegetable production and marketing. At the conclusion of this award, five specialty crop products were identified and analyzed, with the results disseminated through online materials and producer workshops. A project completed under SCMP was for the development and evaluation of an integrated robotic system for the purpose of precision pollination of tree fruit crops. The automatic precision spraying system made for apple chemical thinning enhanced growers’ knowledge of the technology and will assist with future adoption. Please see https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp/awards and https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scmp/awarded-grants for a full list of projects funded to date.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Specialty Crop Block Grant Program - Farm Bill (10.170) awarded $511 million across 395 grant awards, an average of $1.3 million per award.
Who usually wins
State and local governments received 98% of the money, colleges and universities 1.3% and nonprofits 0.3%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| State and local governments | 380 | $503 million | 98% |
| Colleges and universities | 13 | $6.6 million | 1.3% |
| Nonprofits | 2 | $1.4 million | 0.3% |
By state
Each state below has its own page for this program, with its recipients and yearly totals.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California | 15 | $156 million |
| Washington | 12 | $40.7 million |
| Florida | 7 | $25.3 million |
| North Dakota | 8 | $25.1 million |
| Montana | 6 | $19.1 million |
| Texas | 12 | $17.3 million |
| Idaho | 8 | $17.0 million |
| Michigan | 6 | $13.6 million |
| Oregon | 7 | $11.9 million |
| Arizona | 7 | $11.1 million |
| Pennsylvania | 8 | $10.0 million |
| Georgia | 7 | $9.9 million |
| New York | 7 | $8.8 million |
| Minnesota | 6 | $8.8 million |
| Wisconsin | 6 | $8.3 million |
| North Carolina | 6 | $8.1 million |
| Colorado | 7 | $6.0 million |
| Nebraska | 6 | $4.8 million |
| Alabama | 8 | $4.7 million |
| New Jersey | 6 | $4.4 million |
| Virginia | 7 | $4.4 million |
| Utah | 7 | $4.0 million |
| Maine | 6 | $4.0 million |
| South Carolina | 7 | $3.9 million |
| New Mexico | 6 | $3.8 million |
| Illinois | 6 | $3.7 million |
| Puerto Rico | 7 | $3.5 million |
| Mississippi | 7 | $3.4 million |
| Indiana | 7 | $3.4 million |
| Massachusetts | 7 | $3.3 million |
| Arkansas | 8 | $3.3 million |
| Kansas | 7 | $3.3 million |
| Ohio | 6 | $3.2 million |
| Delaware | 9 | $3.2 million |
| Oklahoma | 6 | $3.2 million |
| Hawaii | 6 | $3.2 million |
| Maryland | 6 | $3.0 million |
| Wyoming | 9 | $3.0 million |
| Tennessee | 6 | $2.8 million |
| Iowa | 7 | $2.7 million |
| Connecticut | 6 | $2.6 million |
| Missouri | 6 | $2.5 million |
| South Dakota | 7 | $2.4 million |
| West Virginia | 7 | $2.2 million |
| Kentucky | 6 | $2.2 million |
| Louisiana | 6 | $2.2 million |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 8 | $2.1 million |
| American Samoa | 8 | $2.1 million |
| Alaska | 8 | $2.1 million |
| New Hampshire | 7 | $2.0 million |
| Rhode Island | 7 | $2.0 million |
| Vermont | 6 | $1.9 million |
| Nevada | 6 | $1.7 million |
| District of Columbia | 7 | $1.6 million |
| Guam | 4 | $1.1 million |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 4 | $1.1 million |