The purpose of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by:

1) leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops;

(2) assisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops;

(3) expanding availability and access to specialty crops; and

(4) addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers.

TDA encourages organizations to develop projects to solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops pertaining to the following issues affecting the industry:

• Food Safety
• Marketing
• Nutrition
• Plant Health
• Value Added/Industry Development

Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). See lists of eligible and ineligible crops from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) website. 

Proposals for grant funds should describe how the project will impact and produce measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public, rather than a single organization, institution, or individual.