USDA selects 18 states for Specialty Crop Multi-State Program

Eighteen states have been selected to participate in the 2015 Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP), a competitive grant program that helps states develop solutions for specialty crop industry problems.

The Farm Bill of 2014 has made approximately $3 million available for this program, which addresses problems in the food safety and research, plant pests, disease, and marketing opportunities.

SCRMP applications were sent to the  Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service. The states selected are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

Proposals from specialty crop producer associations and groups, other state agencies, tribal governments, universities, nonprofits, and other stakeholder groups and organizations must include partners located in two states. 

State departments of agriculture are responsible for screening proposals for basic requirements, submitting applications to  the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), assuming administrative responsibility, and establishing sub-grants and/or contracts with the multi-state partners to complete the project. Applications must then be submitted to AMS, and the USDA suggests state agricultural departments keep in contact with the USDA in the coming weeks for SCMP application process updates.