Vermont Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

Overview
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA AMS) awards Specialty Crop Block Grants to the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories. In Vermont, the Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) administers these funds to enhance the competitiveness of Vermont and regionally grown specialty crops.
Program Purpose
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funds enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by–
Leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty cropsAssisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty cropsExpanding availability and access to specialty cropsAddressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producersUSDA AMS supports projects that address the needs of U.S. specialty crop growers and strengthen local and regional food systems.
Project Types
USDA encourages projects to address the following issues affecting the specialty crop industry:

• ​Enhancing food safety

Improving the capacity of all entities in the specialty crop distribution chain to comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act, for example, by developing “Good Agricultural Practices,” “Good Handling Practices,” “Good Manufacturing Practices,” and in cost-share arrangements for funding audits of such systems for small farmers, packers and processors
Investing in specialty crop research, including research to focus on conservation and environmental outcomes
Developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops
Pest and disease control
Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops
Improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems