Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA AMS TM SCBGP G 24 0003
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) Farm Bill 2024 opportunity is a mandatory USDA grant program administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) that provides funding to eligible State departments of agriculture to run projects that strengthen and improve the competitive position of specialty crops. In practice, this program is designed to let each state or territory identify its most pressing specialty-crop needs and then invest grant funds into projects that make specialty crops easier to produce, market, distribute, and sell, while also helping the industry respond to ongoing challenges. Specialty crops, as defined here, include fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.
Funding under this opportunity is awarded to governmental applicants only, specifically the official state-level agriculture agency, commission, or department responsible for agriculture within the jurisdiction. Eligible applicants include the 50 U.S. states plus American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Rather than being a direct-to-farmer or direct-to-business federal grant, SCBGP funding typically flows first to the state department of agriculture, which then carries out projects itself and/or runs a competitive subaward process to support universities, nonprofits, producer groups, local governments, and other partners working on specialty-crop initiatives within that state or territory.
The core purpose of the program is to enhance competitiveness, and AMS highlights four broad ways projects can do that. First, projects can leverage and expand marketing and promotion efforts for specialty crops, such as consumer education, branding, market development, or initiatives that strengthen demand and visibility for specialty-crop products. Second, projects can assist producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops, which may include applied research, production best practices, pest and disease work, post-harvest handling improvements, food safety approaches, or other problem-solving activities tailored to specialty-crop systems. Third, projects can expand availability and access to specialty crops, including efforts that improve distribution, supply-chain coordination, market access, and the ability of institutions and consumers to obtain specialty crops reliably. Fourth, projects can address challenges confronting specialty-crop producers at the local, regional, and national levels, which can include workforce, climate and weather pressures, biosecurity risks, emerging pests and pathogens, regulatory hurdles, and other barriers that affect specialty-crop viability.
Key administrative details from the notice include the funding opportunity title, "Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Farm Bill 2024," and the opportunity number "USDA AMS TM SCBGP G 24 0003." The assistance listing is under CFDA (Assistance Listing) 10.170, the activity category is agriculture, and the instrument type is a grant. The original application closing date listed is May 2, 2024. The notice also indicates an expectation of 56 awards, aligning with the number of eligible state and territorial applicants. The award ceiling is shown as 0, which generally signals that a single universal cap is not specified in the summary field and that award amounts are determined through the program’s formula, allocation approach, or detailed guidance rather than a fixed maximum per award in this particular listing.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a state-led funding mechanism intended to produce practical, measurable improvements for specialty-crop industries, with flexibility for each jurisdiction to target the marketing, research, access, and problem-solving priorities that will most effectively strengthen specialty-crop competitiveness in its region.Apply for USDA AMS TM SCBGP G 24 0003
- The Agricultural Marketing Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Farm Bill 2024" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.170.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-01-29.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-02. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 56 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) Farm Bill 2024 - FAQs
1) What is the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) Farm Bill 2024?
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) Farm Bill 2024 is a mandatory USDA grant program administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). It provides funding to eligible State departments of agriculture for projects that strengthen and improve the competitive position of specialty crops.
2) Who administers this grant program at the federal level?
The program is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).
3) What is the main goal of SCBGP funding?
The core purpose is to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by funding projects that make specialty crops easier to produce, market, distribute, and sell, while also helping the industry respond to ongoing challenges.
4) What counts as a "specialty crop" under this opportunity?
Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.
5) Who is eligible to apply for SCBGP Farm Bill 2024 funding?
Only governmental applicants are eligible, specifically the official state-level agriculture agency, commission, or department responsible for agriculture within the jurisdiction.
6) Which jurisdictions are eligible applicants?
Eligible applicants include the 50 U.S. states plus American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
7) Is this a direct-to-farmer or direct-to-business federal grant?
No. This opportunity is not typically a direct-to-farmer or direct-to-business federal grant. Funding generally flows first to the state department of agriculture (or equivalent agency), which then carries out projects and/or runs a competitive subaward process within the state or territory.
8) How does the money usually reach organizations like universities, nonprofits, or producer groups?
States or territories typically use SCBGP funding to implement projects themselves and/or administer a competitive subaward process to support partners such as universities, nonprofits, producer groups, local governments, and other organizations working on specialty-crop initiatives within that jurisdiction.
9) What kinds of projects does AMS highlight as ways to improve specialty-crop competitiveness?
AMS highlights four broad project approaches: (1) marketing and promotion; (2) research and development support for producers; (3) expanding availability and access; and (4) addressing challenges confronting specialty-crop producers at local, regional, and national levels.
10) What are examples of marketing and promotion activities that could fit SCBGP goals?
Marketing and promotion efforts may include consumer education, branding, market development, and other initiatives designed to strengthen demand and visibility for specialty-crop products.
11) What types of research and development activities may be supported?
Projects may support applied research and production best practices, pest and disease work, post-harvest handling improvements, food safety approaches, and other problem-solving activities tailored to specialty-crop systems.
12) What does "expanding availability and access to specialty crops" mean in this program context?
It includes efforts that improve distribution, strengthen supply-chain coordination, expand market access, and increase the ability of institutions and consumers to obtain specialty crops reliably.
13) What kinds of challenges can SCBGP projects address?
Projects may address workforce issues, climate and weather pressures, biosecurity risks, emerging pests and pathogens, regulatory hurdles, and other barriers that affect specialty-crop viability at the local, regional, and national levels.
14) What is the official funding opportunity title?
The funding opportunity title is "Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Farm Bill 2024."
15) What is the opportunity number for this listing?
The opportunity number is USDA AMS TM SCBGP G 24 0003.
16) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number?
The Assistance Listing (CFDA) is 10.170.
17) What is the activity category and funding instrument type?
The activity category is agriculture, and the instrument type is a grant.
18) What was the original application closing date listed in the notice?
The original application closing date listed is May 2, 2024.
19) How many awards are expected under this opportunity?
The notice indicates an expectation of 56 awards, aligning with the number of eligible state and territorial applicants.
20) Is there an award ceiling (maximum award amount) listed?
The award ceiling is shown as 0 in the summary field. This generally indicates that a single universal cap is not specified there and that award amounts are determined through the program's formula, allocation approach, or detailed guidance rather than a fixed maximum per award in that listing.
21) Why is SCBGP described as a state-led funding mechanism?
Because the funding is provided to state or territorial departments of agriculture, and each jurisdiction can identify its most pressing specialty-crop needs and invest grant funds into projects that best strengthen specialty-crop competitiveness in that region.
22) What is the practical takeaway for organizations interested in SCBGP-funded work?
In practice, interested organizations often participate through the state or territory's SCBGP projects and/or subaward opportunities, since the federal award goes to the official state-level agriculture agency rather than directly to individual businesses or farms.
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