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Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

Program Overview

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is a federal grant opportunity provided by the USDA to state departments of agriculture 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.

Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops including floriculture.

For more information about the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, including a current list of eligible crops, visit the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service website.

FY26 Specialty Crop Block Grants

The Kansas Department of Agriculture is expected to receive $330,000 from the USDA to fund projects to enhance the competitiveness of the Kansas specialty crop industry. Projects of particular interest to KDA are those that explore improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems, sustainability, and increasing nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops.

The application period for the FY26 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is expected to open in January 2026.

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