1-23 IAN Specialty Crop
I’m giving you this press release myself because I couldn’t get anyone at the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) on the phone. That’s OK. Listen up. The information is important. Applications are being accepted by the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The United States Department of Agriculture has allocated Specialty Crop Block Grants to the state and ISDA will be passing through nearly $850,000 as competitive grants. Projects must solely enhance the competitiveness of U.S.-grown specialty crops in either domestic or foreign markets and must provide a benefit to more than just the applicant. Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.
ISDA Director Celia Gould said “These funds are an important tool for Idaho’s specialty crop industry, providing opportunities for research, marketing, and education, that otherwise wouldn’t be available. “This is our fourth year of providing competitive grants and we are looking forward to another year of innovative projects that enhance Idaho specialty crops and create economic returns for Idaho.” Funds will be available to interested local, state, and federal government, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and universities. Projects may include, but are not limited to, pest and disease control, enhancing food safety, developing new and improved seed varieties, increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops, market development, or developing good agricultural, handling, or manufacturing practices. Projects will be evaluated on how well they enhance the competitiveness of Idaho’s specialty crops, soundness and quality of the project plan, measurable outcomes and return on investment.
