Applications for specialty crop block grants sought by Arkansas Department of Agriculture

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the 2025 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) through June 20.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), this program is designed to enhance the competitiveness of Arkansas’s specialty crop industry. Specialty crops are defined by USDA as fruits, vegetables, horticulture, floriculture, and tree nuts.

Proposals for funding may be submitted by universities, institutions, cooperatives, producers, industry, community-based organizations, and individuals with projects that potentially affect and produce measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public rather than a single organization, institution, or individual.

Applicants are encouraged to submit projects that address the following issues impacting the specialty crop industry such as enhancing food safety; Improving the capacity of all entities in the specialty crop distribution chain to comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act.

Others that qualify include “Good Handling Practices,” “Good Manufacturing Practices,” and in cost-share arrangements for funding audits of such systems (including USDA GroupGAP) for small farmers, packers, and processors; Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops; Research projects focused on helping specialty crop growers by improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems, improving pest and disease management, and/or development of new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops;

Considerations will also be given for Investments in specialty crop research, including research to focus on conservation and environmental outcomes and sustainability of specialty crops.

Access the 2025 application, Request for Applications, and additional details on the Department’s website here. All applications must be submitted by June 20, 2025. The Department will accept project proposals that request a minimum of $20,000. Projects to be included in Arkansas’ state plan will be selected by a review committee.