Idaho Specialty Crop Block Grant Program – HR133

 

For information on the annual SCBG program click here

 

The HR133 applications are CLOSED.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Market Service (AMS) has allocated these funds to the states through H.R. 133 Stimulus Funding and ISDA will be awarding over $2 million in competitive grants.  Priority will be given to projects that respond to COVID-19 impacts.

 

Specialty crops are defined by USDA as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, nursery crops, and honey.  ISDA is seeking proposals from individual businesses, specialty crop producers, non-profit organizations, local, state, and federal government entities, and for-profit organizations for projects that aim to enhance the production and competitiveness of Idaho specialty crops.   USDA provides for individual businesses to apply for funding under this program that are not otherwise allowable under the Farm Bill funded Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.  As a result, ISDA is prohibiting research projects under the HR 133 program.    

 

Projects may include, but are not limited to:

  • Marketing and promoting specialty crops
  • Addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers
  • Expanding availability and access to specialty crops
  • Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops
  • Pest and disease control
  • Sustainability
  • Enhancing food safety
  • Improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems
  • Improving the capacity of all entities in the specialty crop distribution chain to comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (21 U.S.C.  Chapter 27), for example, developing “Good Agricultural Practices,” “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
  • Responding to risks and supply chain disruptions
    • Making certain facility adjustments (Rearrangement and Reconversion Costs) to protect employees and the public from potential COVID-19 exposure.  Facility adjustments as “Rearrangement and Reconversion Costs,” including installation of plexiglass barriers and other spacing adjustments to protect employees and the public from potential COVID-19 exposure. However, individual items should be considered supplies and must cost less than $5,000 per item.
  • Implementing market adaptations related to COVID-19 for projects that benefit a variety of businesses.
  • Purchasing and providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Single items must not cost more than $5,000 per unit price. (e.g. one box of masks counts as a unit, not each separate mask).
  • Facility adjustments as “Rearrangement and Reconversion Costs,” including installation of plexiglass barriers and other spacing adjustments to protect employees and the public from potential COVID-19 exposure. However, individual items should be considered supplies and must cost less than $5,000 per
  • General purpose equipment over $5,000 is allowable if it is rented or leased.
  • Vaccination costs, such as paying stipends to cover leave and travel time.
  • Worker housing to protect employees from COVID-19 exposure, as a direct cost connected to the purpose of the SCBGP and the objectives of the project. This does not include construction or expansion of facilities.

 

HR133 Specialty Crop Block Grant Timeline

EventEstimated Date
Request for Proposals ReleasedMarch 2022
Applications Due to ISDAJuly 31, 2022
Applications Reviewed, Scored, and SelectedAugust 2022
Idaho State Plan Submitted to USDAAugust 2022
Anticipated USDA ApprovalSeptember 2022
Disbursement Agreements to GranteesSeptember - October 2022
Post-Award WebinarOctober 2022
Anticipated Project Start DateOctober - November 2022
Projects Conclude No Later ThanSeptember 29, 2024

The links below provide detailed information on how to apply, as well as the complete set of application documents.

HR133 Specialty Crop Grant Application Materials

 

 

Please save the files onto your hard drive before editing the documents.  Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the file.

For more information contact:
SCBG@isda.idaho.gov

or call 208-332-8533