Specialty crops are defined as

Crops excluded from the program as defined by USDA's Agriculture Marketing Service include: cotton, cottonseed, feed crops (such as barley, corn, hay, oats, sorghum grain, and millet), flaxseed, food grains (such as quinoa, rice, rye, and wheat), livestock and dairy products (including eggs), marine aquaculture, oil crops (such as peanut, soybean, sunflower, safflower, rapeseed, canola, and mustard seed), peanuts, range grasses, sugar beets, sugarcane, and tobacco.

The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) authorized the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to partner with state departments of agriculture to enhance the competitiveness of growers of fruits, vegetables, and other horticultural crops in areas such as marketing, promotion, education, research, trade and nutrition.  Colorado expects USDA to award the state an allocation of approximately $780,000 for FY10. Beyond this fiscal year, annual allocations to Colorado are projected at approximately $750,000.
 

By seeking proposals now, even before USDA has announced state allocations, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) will be able to move more quickly to put the allocated funds to work on behalf of Colorado’s specialty crops industry. Proposals must be received by CDA by the close of business (4:30pm) on March 1, 2010 in order to be eligible for consideration.
 

Funding from the SCBGP affords Colorado's specialty crops stakeholders an unprecedented opportunity to undertake new initiatives including, but not limited to:

To be eligible for consideration, completed proposals must be recieved by CDA not later than the close of business (4:30 pm) on March 1, 2010.
 

Producer groups, organizations, and associations, as well as state and/or local organizations, academia and other specialty crops stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts. Although proposals submitted by individual producers are allowed, they must demonstrate that the potential impact of the project will accrue to a broader group of similar producers, region or industry segment.
 

Funds may not be utilized for paying down current debt, general administrative expenses, salaries, or for indirect institutional overhead costs.  Similarly, funds may not be utilized for purchasing equipment and construction/building costs

page updated 12/23/09

USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

Administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service to individual state departments of agriculture.