Agricultural Defense Grant Program

The Agricultural Defense Program is administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) on behalf of the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority (TAFA) pursuant to Texas Agriculture Code, Chapter 58. The program is designed to provide financial assistance for projects that address agriculture-related pests, diseases, and depredating animals that negatively impact agricultural production in Texas. The overall purpose of the program is to mitigate agricultural losses experienced by agricultural businesses through coordinated pest management, disease control, and mitigation activities. The program specifically supports projects that improve agricultural resilience, strengthen agricultural biosecurity, and reduce risks to agricultural production systems across the state. The funding opportunity is targeted toward public-sector agricultural and animal health entities with demonstrated technical expertise and implementation capacity. Eligible applicants are limited to the Texas Animal Health Commission, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, and Texas A&M AgriLife Research. These entities may partner with other organizations in implementing project activities; however, the eligible lead applicant must be one of the specifically authorized entities. The solicitation explicitly identifies several examples of ineligible applicants, including farmers, ranchers, trappers, and integrated pest management entities that are not one of the designated eligible institutions. Applications are expected to focus on rapid implementation and deployment of projects capable of producing measurable agricultural defense outcomes within a two-year project period. Proposed projects must address identified agricultural pest or disease issues affecting Texas commodities, regions, or livestock sectors and should include outreach, education, and applied mitigation activities. The Agricultural Defense Program uses a two-step application process. Applicants must first submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) through the designated online JotForm portal. LOIs are accepted on an ongoing basis to allow the program to respond quickly to emerging agricultural pest and disease threats. The LOI process is used by TDA staff and the TAFA Board to verify eligibility, evaluate project alignment with program priorities, and determine whether a full application invitation should be issued. Applicants that receive favorable review by the TAFA Board will receive an official invitation to submit a full grant application within approximately two weeks after the relevant TAFA Board meeting. Full applications are then submitted through the TDA-GO online grants management system. The full application deadline is generally approximately four weeks after the invitation is issued. The LOI must include applicant contact information, a project overview, estimated project costs, grant amount requested, a concise project summary, a statement of need, project objectives, expected outcomes and benefits, partnerships and collaborations, and an authorized signature. The solicitation provides detailed guidance regarding project objectives, including requirements to identify and evaluate pest pressures, implement and refine pest management practices, develop producer education materials, and collaborate with local stakeholders to deploy mitigation activities. Optional letters of support may also be submitted. Full grant applications require detailed project narratives, workplans, implementation timelines, budget details, administrative forms, certifications, and supporting uploads. The application process also requires completion of an accounting system and financial capability questionnaire. Funding is provided on a cost-reimbursement basis. Grant recipients must have sufficient financial capacity to pay project costs upfront and request reimbursement through the TDA-GO system. There is no maximum budget amount specified in the solicitation, and applicants are instructed to request only the funding necessary to complete the proposed activities. No matching funds or in-kind contributions are required under the program. Eligible expenses include personnel, travel, equipment, supplies, contracts, and other direct project costs related to approved activities. Equipment purchases exceeding $10,000 require prior written approval. Ineligible expenses include alcoholic beverages, entertainment, land acquisition or lease costs, meals during travel, gift cards, indirect costs, and expenses incurred prior to grant agreement execution without prior approval. Grant recipients are required to submit reimbursement requests at least quarterly and maintain detailed financial and programmatic records for a minimum of four years after project completion. Applications are evaluated in stages. Initial LOI review criteria include relevance to agricultural defense priorities, clarity of the project concept, feasibility and readiness, and potential statewide impact. Full applications are evaluated based on the statement of need, project methodology, expected outcomes, partnerships and collaboration, applicant capacity and experience, budget cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of project impacts beyond the grant period. TDA reserves the right to negotiate project elements, partially fund projects, or request coordination among funded applicants to maximize statewide benefit. Selected applicants will receive a Notice of Grant Award and execute a formal grant agreement before project activities may begin. The anticipated project start date is the first day of the month following award notification, and all funded projects must conclude by August 31, 2027. Reporting requirements include periodic performance reports submitted through TDA-GO, along with ongoing documentation demonstrating progress toward project objectives. Failure to comply with reporting or financial management requirements may result in reimbursement withholding or termination of the award. Program assistance and application support are available through the TDA Grants Office. Questions may be directed to Grants@TexasAgriculture.gov or by phone at 833-380-8282. The official Request for Grant Applications document and application instructions are available through the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Focus on clearly defining the agricultural pest or disease issue and demonstrating measurable statewide impact. Projects should show strong feasibility rapid deployment capability stakeholder partnerships and practical producer outreach. Budgets should be well justified and avoid unallowable indirect costs.