News Release

The Missouri Department of Agriculture is now accepting proposals for additional funding through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. These funds are approved through H.R. 133 stimulus funds due to Covid-19 impacts to the food system and provided by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service.

Interested individuals, community organizations and research institutions working to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Missouri should submit their application by July 13, 2022. MDA will consider grant awards up to a maximum of $50,000 for a specific project, with a grant period beginning this fall and concluding in February 2025.

Funding will prioritize projects that respond to Covid-19 impacts. Projects include those that assist farmworker protection from Covid-19 and projects that respond to supply chain disruptions.

USDA defines specialty crops as fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, honey, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. The Department offers this grant program to expand markets on local, regional and international levels, develop distribution channels for specialty crops, and catalyze education, research, marketing, promotion, food safety strategies and crop-specific solutions for pests and diseases.

Proposals for these additional funds must be submitted to the Department by 3 p.m. on July 13, 2022. Proposals will be evaluated and selected projects will be included in the Missouri State Plan for USDA review and approval. A list of previously funded projects is available on the Department’s website.

The application form and additional details are available online at Agriculture.Mo.Gov.

For more information about the Missouri Department of Agriculture and its programs, visit the Department online at Agriculture.Mo.Gov.