The amount of federal Specialty Crop funding allocated to Minnesota is based on the reported acreage of specialty crop production and sales. The USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) collects this information. However, specialty crop production is often underreported. We encourage all farms to sign up to get future surveys and censuses. (NASS defines a farm as any place that normally produces and sells $1,000 or more of agricultural products in a calendar year.)
Please refer to the Past Projects tab on our SCBG website to see previously funded projects.
Please refer to the Past Projects tab on our SCBG website to see previously funded projects.
The purpose of the grant program is 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; and
- Addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers.
A specialty crop is defined by the USDA as “Fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). Eligible plants must be cultivated or managed and used by people for food, medicinal purposes, and/or aesthetic gratification to be considered specialty crops. Processed products shall consist of greater than 50% of the specialty crop by weight, exclusive of added water.”
The USDA lists eligible and ineligible crops on their website. This list is not exhaustive, so if you have a question about a crop that is not represented, please contact us before applying.
The amount of federal Specialty Crop funding allocated to Minnesota is based on the reported acreage of specialty crop production and sales. The USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) collects this information. However, specialty crop production is often underreported. We encourage all farms to sign up to get future surveys and censuses. (NASS defines a farm as any place that normally produces and sells $1,000 or more of agricultural products in a calendar year.)
Please refer to the Past Projects tab on our SCBG website to see previously funded projects.
As of early March 2025, federal funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant remains uncertain.
USDA typically releases their Request for Applications (RFA), which outlines the program parameters and due dates, in late January. In early March 2025, USDA staff indicated they don’t have any specific dates for releasing their RFA, but they would provide more information as they receive it. State agencies typically release their Request for Proposals (RFPs) before USDA releases their RFA so there's enough time to receive and review proposals, work with subrecipients, and put together a state plan for submission to USDA. Like many other state departments of agriculture, we released our RFP in anticipation of receiving the RFA and are awaiting further guidance from USDA.
During the state level review, applications will be scored based on the criteria in the Project Evaluation Profile in the MDA’s RFP. Maximize your points by clearly answering the application questions. Following the state level review, selected project proposals are submitted to USDA as part of our state plan.
As of early March 2025, USDA staff indicated they don’t have any specific dates for releasing their Request for Applications (RFA). Without an RFA to outline program priorities, it remains unclear how recent executive actions will impact the priorities and goals of the SCBG program. While we cannot provide specific advice on how to answer the application questions, it's always advisable to consider current events when preparing your grant application.
Eligible applicants
Eligible applicants include:
- Nonprofit organizations
- Producer organizations
- Government agencies
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Private businesses and researchers
It should be noted that projects submitted by individual producers, for-profit businesses, or commercial entities are not eligible for a SCBG if the grant funds will be used for projects that will start or expand a business; solely benefit a particular commercial product; provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual; or result in unfair competition with private companies that provide equivalent products or services. Applications from such applicants must benefit a segment of a Minnesota specialty crop industry and not just the applicant organization. They also must provide knowledge that is transferable to other entities and incorporate a clear plan or disseminating the results of their research, production methods, etc., to provide value to the specialty crop industry at large.
Eligible applicants include:
- Nonprofit organizations
- Producer organizations
- Government agencies
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Private businesses and researchers
It should be noted that projects submitted by individual producers, for-profit businesses, or commercial entities are not eligible for a SCBG if the grant funds will be used for projects that will start or expand a business; solely benefit a particular commercial product; provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual; or result in unfair competition with private companies that provide equivalent products or services. Applications from such applicants must benefit a segment of a Minnesota specialty crop industry and not just the applicant organization. They also must provide knowledge that is transferable to other entities and incorporate a clear plan or disseminating the results of their research, production methods, etc., to provide value to the specialty crop industry at large.
We do accept applications from organizations outside of Minnesota, if the proposed project aligns with the grant program’s goals of improving the competitiveness of Minnesota’s specialty crops. For example, we’ve previously funded projects with North Dakota State University involving research on potatoes grown in Minnesota because Minnesota potato producers benefited from the project.
We do accept applications from organizations outside of Minnesota, if the proposed project aligns with the grant program’s goals of improving the competitiveness of Minnesota’s specialty crops. For example, we’ve previously funded projects with North Dakota State University involving research on potatoes grown in Minnesota because Minnesota potato producers benefited from the project.
Yes, you may submit a proposal—it can be related to the current grant, but that is not a requirement. It is relatively common for us to fund projects that build upon previously funded work. SCBG will not fund duplicative projects.
Projects that stem from a previous grant need to describe how the projects should become self-sustaining or justify funding an ongoing project. Applicants requesting fund for a previously funded SCBG should indicate how the project complements and further advances the competitiveness of the specialty crop market sector and does not duplicate previous work. Ongoing projects must also list the specialty crop stakeholders, other than those involved in the project, who support the continuation of the project.
The application includes a section of questions for proposals that are related to previously funded efforts. These questions ask about how the proposed project differs from the previous project, the outcomes of the previous project, any lessons learned from the project, and how the lessons learned will be incorporated into the next project.
