The Kansas Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the FY25 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Funds for the program are awarded to the agency by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
The grant funds are in turn granted to projects and organizations 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. Specialty crops are defined by the USDA as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.”
Applications will be evaluated by a team of external reviewers. The team will rate proposals on their ability to successfully enhance the competitiveness of the specialty crop industry in Kansas and make a positive impact on the Kansas economy. Those recommendations will be submitted to the Kansas Secretary of Agriculture, who will make the final awards.
Applications are due to KDA no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 31, 2025. For more information, please download and carefully read the Kansas Request for Applications document from the KDA website: agriculture.ks.gov/grants.