Montana Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

Through the Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) Program, Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) seeks to enhance the marketability and competitiveness of Montana specialty crops. Grants are available to State and/or local organizations, government entities, producer associations, academia, community based organizations, and other specialty crop stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts.

Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, peas, lentils, horticulture, and nursery crops. A list of eligible crops is available online.

Applicants are encouraged to develop projects in the following issue areas 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 and; 

• sustainability.

State and/or local organizations, government entities, producer associations, academia, community based organizations, and other specialty crop stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts. Regional or multi-state projects may be considered. 

Required Application Forms:

• Applicant Self-Assessment Form

• "NEW" Application Narrative Cover Sheet

• "NEW" Application Project Template (PDF form provided by USDA)

All applications must be submitted through the WebGrants system. The instructions below outline the basic procedures of operating the Webgrants system.

• WebGrants Registration Instructions

• WebGrants Application Instructions

• WebGrants Submitting Help

• WebGrants Quick Navigation

• 2023 SCBG RFP Manual