Specialty crop projects across Idaho were recently awarded funding from the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program after being selected for funding through the Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s competitive review process.

The State of Idaho allocated $1,831,794.62 to projects that improve specialty crops in Idaho, making the industry and Idaho more competitive.

Specialty crops are defined to include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.

Eligible projects are required to benefit more than one organization and solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.

Many of the funded projects focus on research or marketing and promotion.

A total of twenty grant applications were submitted at a total request of nearly $2.4 million.

A panel of industry representatives with experience in agriculture, business management, and/or science reviewed and scored all applications, providing input to ISDA for the final selection.

Seventeen projects were selected for funding, including research, promotional, and educational activities for commodities such as potato, bean, apple, onion, cherry, wine grape, nuts and pea & lentil crops.

ISDA will soon begin accepting applications for the 2019 specialty crop program. Official application instructions, including updated application guidelines, example applications and additional required forms, will be posted in the coming months to ISDA’s website in the marketing section, under the specialty crop grant link.  Applications will be due sometime in early spring of 2019.

If you have questions about the specialty crop grant program, please contact Nichole Britt at nichole.britt@isda.idaho.gov  or 208-332-8537.