The Delaware Department of Agriculture is seeking applications for its Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
The Ag Dept. is offering just over $400,000 in total funding this year from the federal Farm Bill.
The department says specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, including dried fruits, tree nuts, horticulture, and floriculture. Nursery crop producers are also eligible for funding under specialty crop qualifications.
Grant requirements can be strict, but Department of Agriculture Chief of Community Relations Michael Lewis says they are a resource for those applying.
"The Department of Agriculture works with both the awardees of the grant and the USDA to make sure everything is going smoothly with the project. Where we serve as the communicators in case there’s any delays on the federal end, or on the awardee’s end as far as using the money for any specific projects." he said.
He says the purpose of the grant is to increase competitiveness in the specialty crop market, and notes the application is available to farmers of all experience levels-
Lewis adds that several First State farmers have found great success in the program.
“You miss all the shots you don’t take, right? That’s the old saying. So anybody who’s in those fields and would like to put in an application for some of this grant funding, they have until May 18th to put in their application. So they have about three weeks. ” said Lewis.
Eligible applicants also include educational institutions, government entities, and non-profit organizations- as long as they are based in the state of Delaware.
The grant program will prioritize projects that align with federally described priorities such as food safety, pest and disease control, protecting and improving pollinator health, increasing child and adult knowledge and consumption of specialty crops, and investing in crop research.
The USDA also outlined a priority for "urban agriculture" projects: things life rooftop farming, community composts, shipping container farms, and other emerging agricultural practices.
Additional information and application materials can be found on the DDA’s specialty crop grant program webpage.
