Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

The Missouri Department of Agriculture administers the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service to support projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops grown in the United States or U.S. territories. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruit, maple syrup, honey, horticulture crops, nursery crops, and floriculture products. The funding opportunity is designed to strengthen domestic and international markets for specialty crops while addressing key agricultural priorities such as food safety, sustainability, research, pest and disease management, and nutrition education. The Missouri Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for this competitive reimbursement-based program through May 28, 2026 at 3 p.m. Eligible projects must directly benefit the specialty crop industry rather than a single individual organization or business. The program specifically supports projects focused on enhancing food safety, increasing compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act, investing in specialty crop research, developing new seed varieties and specialty crops, controlling pests and diseases, increasing nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops, improving supply chain efficiencies, and promoting sustainability initiatives. Projects are expected to demonstrate measurable outcomes and include outreach or information dissemination components that benefit growers, producers, processors, distributors, or consumers across the specialty crop sector. Applications that only generate profit for a single entity are not eligible for funding. The Missouri Department of Agriculture will consider awards up to $50,000 per project. Personnel and fringe benefit expenses combined are capped at $15,000. The project period begins after agreement execution in November 2026 and may continue for up to 24 months unless additional approval is granted for a longer timeline. This opportunity operates as a reimbursement-only grant program, meaning recipients are reimbursed quarterly after submitting paid invoices and proof of payment. No advance payments are permitted. Matching funds and cost sharing are not required and should not be included in applications. All expenditures must comply with federal cost principles outlined in 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E as well as USDA Agricultural Marketing Service terms and conditions. The funding announcement identifies several restrictions on the use of funds. Grant funds may not be used for permanent infrastructure development or improvement such as equipment purchases, buildings, or land acquisition. Overhead expenses and indirect costs are also prohibited under the Missouri implementation of the program. Additional prohibited uses include lobbying, political efforts, business entertainment, and gifts. If specialty crops are produced using grant funds, those products may not be donated or given away, although they may be sold at reasonable market value with resulting program income reinvested into allowable project activities during the grant performance period. The application process requires submission of two application components identified as Part 1 and Part 2, along with one to two support letters and any supplemental documents needed for narrative overflow. Applicants must submit completed materials electronically to grants@mda.mo.gov by the published deadline. Eligible applicants include individuals, individual producers, nonprofit organizations, for-project businesses, colleges and universities, agencies, institutions, industry organizations, community-based organizations, and commercial entities, provided the proposed project benefits the broader specialty crop industry. Applications are reviewed competitively and scored by internal and external reviewers according to established evaluation criteria and measurable outcome standards. Recipients are subject to annual performance reporting requirements, while first-time grantees must submit quarterly reports during the award period. A final comprehensive report is required at project completion. The Missouri Department of Agriculture reserves the right to reject applications, partially fund projects, conduct site monitoring visits, withhold payments that fail to meet grant conditions, and require repayment of unauthorized expenditures. Award announcements from USDA are expected during September or October 2026, followed by completion of subrecipient agreements during November or December 2026. The opportunity is part of a recurring federal-state partnership grant program that is administered annually. Applicants seeking guidance may contact Susan Bennett at Susan.Bennett@mda.mo.gov or by phone at (573) 526-9548.

Projects should demonstrate measurable outcomes benefiting the broader specialty crop industry rather than a single organization. Include strong outreach and information dissemination components. Ensure all costs comply with allowable federal cost principles and avoid indirect cost requests or infrastructure expenses.