The deadline has been extended to apply for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s (KDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Ryan Quarles has announced. The new deadline is March 3. “The Department has received tremendous interest in the specialty crop program, which is intended to help make Kentucky specialty crops more competitive in both domestic and foreign markets,” Quarles said. “In an effort to make sure everyone who wants to apply has time to do so, we’re extending the deadline.”
Applicants must describe how the project potentially affects and produces measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public. Private, 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organizations, and quasi government entities, including public universities, are eligible to apply. All projects are subject to the availability of funds. KDA will not award grant funds for projects that solely benefit a particular commercial product or provide profit to a single organization, institution, or individual.
Preliminary proposals must be submitted on the form located at https://bit.ly/3EKKlih and emailed to Brett McQueary at Brett.McQueary@ky.gov no later than 4:30 p.m. EST on March 3. Applicants who have already submitted an application, but would like to amend their proposals and reapply are invited to do so. Qualifying applicants will be notified and invited to complete a full grant application. Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticultural products, nursery crops (including floriculture), and honey. For a comprehensive list, interested parties may visit https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp/specialty-crop . KDA receives grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) for the specialty crop grant program and conducts an annual competitive application process to award grant funds.
For more information about the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, go to kyagr.com/marketing/crop-block-grant.html or contact Brett McQueary at (502) 782-4114 (office), (502) 330-6044 or Brett.McQueary@ky.gov.
Categories: Kentucky, Crops