Iowa Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (IA-SCBGP)

USDA Agricultural Marketing Services (AMS) provides the funds to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state. IDALS will award grants up to a maximum of $24,000 from these funds.

The project(s) must enhance the competitiveness of Iowa grown specialty crops that benefit the industry as a whole and that do not directly benefit a particular product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual. Additional points are awarded to projects that are within the identified priority areas.

Single organizations, institutions, and individuals are encouraged to participate as project partners.

Eligible Entities

IDALS will accept proposals for consideration for specialty crop block grant funds from Iowa agencies, universities, institutions, and producer, industry, and community based organizations. To be eligible for a grant, the project(s) must solely enhance the competitiveness of Iowa grown specialty crops that benefit the industry as a whole and that do not directly benefit a particular product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual. Grant funds will not be awarded for projects that solely benefit a particular commercial product or provide a profit to single organization, institution, or individual. Single organizations, institutions, and individuals are encouraged to participate as project partners. Applicants must be a legal entity and have the legal capacity to contract.

Eligible Specialty Crops

Specialty crops are defined in law as “fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.” USDA – Agricultural Marketing Service provides a more detailed definition and lists eligible plants commonly considered fruits and tree nuts, vegetables, culinary herbs and spices, medical plants and nursery, floriculture, and horticultural crops at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp/specialty-crop Both fresh and processed specialty crops are eligible. Ineligible commodities are also listed. Livestock and poultry are not considered specialty crops. 

Eligible Grant Projects

To be eligible for a grant, the project(s) enhance the competitiveness of Iowa grown specialty crops that benefit the industry as a whole and that do not directly benefit a particular product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual. Additional points are awarded to projects that are within the identified priority areas.

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) encourages projects pertaining to the following issues affecting the specialty crop industry:

• increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops;

• improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems;

• assisting all entities in the specialty crops distribution chain in developing Good Agricultural Practices, Good Handling Practices, and 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;

• enhancing food safety;

• developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops;

• pest and disease control; and

• development of organic and sustainable production practices.

Increasing competitiveness may include developing local and regional food systems, and improving food access in underserved communities. Applicants should describe how the project potentially impacts and produces measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public rather than a single organization, institution, or individual.

Numerous restrictions and rules apply to the appropriateness of projects and the disposition of funds. Refer to the grant guidelines (below) for details.

• Guidelines and Request For Proposals

• Performance Measure Information Sheet