— Information courtesy of the N.C. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is accepting grant proposal applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which aims to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the marketplace. Nonprofits, commodity associations, state and local government agencies, colleges and universities wishing to apply have until March 10 at 5 p.m.
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is managed by the department and is subject to funding by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Traditionally, the program has received about $1.2 million to fund proposals.
A list of eligible crops can be found at What is a Specialty Crop? | Agricultural Marketing Service (https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp/specialty-crop )
“We are fortunate in North Carolina that our farmers can grow just about any crop, which means specialty crops are a significant part of North Carolina’s $100 billion farm economy and one that we want to continue to see grow,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “We are looking for strong proposals that focus on boosting specialty crop production.”
The department will accept grant requests of up to $200,000 from the eligible groups listed above. Grants are not available for projects that directly benefit or provide a profit to a single organization, institution or individual. Applicants can submit a draft application by Wednesday, Jan. 28, for review and feedback. Reviews offer no guarantee of funding and may be limited due to time and the number of requests.
For grant guidelines and an application, go to www.ncspecialtycrops.com/apply/ For questions, contact Jenni Keith at 919.707.3158 or by email at jenni.keith@ncagr.gov.
