Eligibility
Definition of Specialty Crops
The Specialty Crop Competitiveness Act of 2004 and the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 have defined specialty crops as "fruits and vegetables, peas and lentils, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture)."
Eligible plants must be intensively cultivated and used by people for food, medicinal purposes, and/or aesthetic gratification to be considered specialty crops. A list of eligible and non-eligible specialty crops can be found on the USDA Agricultural Marketing site.
Eligible Entities
Entities eligible for applying for SCBG funds are:
- state and/or local organizations
- government entities
- producer associations
- academia
- community based organizations
- other specialty crop stakeholders.
Eligible Projects
To be eligible for a grant, the project(s) must "solely enhance the competitiveness of U.S. or U.S. territory grown specialty crops in either domestic or foreign markets." Projects must also benefit more than one commercial product (e.g., ABC Company brand), organization, or individual.
MDA encourages applicants to develop projects that solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops pertaining to the following issues affecting the specialty crop industry by:
