Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Farm Bill 2026

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is requesting applications for the fiscal year 2026 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) to award grants to eligible State departments of agriculture to carry out projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. The program aims to leverage efforts to market and promote specialty crops, assist producers with research and development, expand availability and access to specialty crops, and address local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers. Some key points to consider: • Eligible applicants are State departments of agriculture in the 50 states, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. • The program has approximately $86.6 million in available funding for FY2026. • Projects must enhance the competitiveness of U.S. or U.S. territory-grown specialty crops in either domestic or foreign markets. • Applications for grant funds should describe how the project potentially affects and produces measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public rather than a single organization, institution, or individual. • State departments of agriculture are responsible for developing proposals and overseeing funded projects. • The program encourages multi-state partnerships and the development of projects that address common issues affecting the specialty crop industry.