The
Kansas Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the 2021
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Funds for the program are awarded to the
agency by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
The funds are in
turn granted to projects and organizations to enhance the competitiveness of
specialty crops by leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops;
assisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops;
expanding availability and access to specialty crops; and addressing local,
regional and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers.
Specialty crops are defined by the USDA as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts,
dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.”
Applications will
be evaluated by a team of external reviewers. The team will rate proposals on
their ability to successfully promote specialty crops in Kansas and make a
positive impact on the Kansas economy. Those recommendations will be submitted
to the Kansas Secretary of Agriculture, who will make the final awards. In
2021, Kansas has been allocated more than $338,000 for this program.
Applications are
due to KDA no later than 5:00 p.m. CDT on May 21, 2021. For more information,
including the Request for Application form and additional guidance about the
grant program and the grant application process, go to the KDA website at: agriculture.ks.gov/specialtycrop.
The vision of the
Kansas Department of Agriculture is to provide an ideal environment for
long-term, sustainable agricultural prosperity and statewide economic growth.
The agency will achieve this by advocating for sectors at all levels and
providing industry outreach.