Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Announces Specialty Crop Block Grant Public Input Opportunity

By Jennifer Holton

LANSING, Mich. Today, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Tim Boring announced a public input opportunity for Michigan's Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. To ensure practical program priorities, MDARD is asking for the public s input by emailing their comments to mda-grants@michigan.gov by November 27, 2024. The input received will be considered when developing final program priorities for 2025.

MDARD's Specialty Crop Block Grant Program awards fund projects to enhance the competitiveness of the state s specialty crops which include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). 

Last year, funding priorities included:

• Market enhancement to promote specialty crops
  • Market Expansion, Availability, and Access to Specialty Crops
  • Farm to Institution
• Research and development relevant to specialty crops
  • Plant Health and Pest Management
  • Farm Sustainability
• Training and education addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers
  • Enhancing Food Safety
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Workforce/Labor

All interested parties may visit www.michigan.gov/mdardgrants for more information on Michigan s Specialty Crop Block grants. Please submit all public comment to mda-grants@michigan.gov by at 5 p.m. EST on November 27, 2024.