VA Specialty Crop Competitive Grant Program

Funder: Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS)

The VA Specialty Crop Competitive Grant Program supports the enhancement of specialty crops across the U.S. territories by aiding state departments in marketing, research, and access initiatives. This program focuses on fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops, helping producers tackle regional challenges and improve competitiveness. Through this grant, states can leverage resources effectively to promote local agriculture and ensure the availability of diverse crops to consumers.

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) assists 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 to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by
leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops;assisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops;expanding availability and access to specialty crops; andaddressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers.
Specialty crops are fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). The term 'State' means the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands