Date: Wednesday, August 23, 2023
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WASHINGTON, August 23, 2023—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today awarded over $355,000 in Fiscal Year 2023 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funding to Iowa. With this grant, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) will fund projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crop products and create new market opportunities for the state’s specialty crop producers.
“With this year’s Specialty Crop Block Grant funding, Iowa is investing in innovative projects that will help address the needs of specialty crop producers within the region,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The funded projects will also further USDA’s efforts to ensure U.S. specialty crop products remain competitive in markets across the nation and abroad.”
Through the SCBGP, IDALS will fund 11 projects. Among Iowa’s grant projects is funding to help farmers get sweet corn to market earlier through the evaluation of cultivars, investigating seasonal growing strategies by trialing a multitude of season extension practices, monitoring pest and pesticide resistance, increasing wholesale markets for refugee specialty crop producers in Iowa, and launching a statewide celebration of specialty crop gardening at K-12 schools and early childhood education centers.
“With the launch of the Choose Iowa program and the strong consumer demand for local foods, including Iowa grown specialty crops, these grants will continue to build our state’s capacity to meet these growing markets,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “Specialty Crop Block Grants are an important component of the Farm Bill because they enhance the diversity of Iowa agriculture, build markets, invest in education and assist with scientific research, all of which benefit consumers and growers in Iowa and beyond.”
The funding to Iowa is part of a total of $72.9 million in non-competitive FY 2023 SCBGP funding awarded to 54 states, territories, and the District of Columbia. The SCBGP funding supports farmers growing specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops. USDA’s support will strengthen U.S. specialty crop production and markets, ensuring an abundant, affordable supply of highly nutritious fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops, which are vital to the health and well-being of all Americans.
The funding for the SCBGP grants is authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill and FY2023 funding is awarded for a three-year period beginning Sept. 30, 2023. Since 2006, USDA has invested over $1 billion through the SCBGP to fund nearly 12,000 projects that have increased the long-term successes of producers and enhanced marketing opportunities for U.S. specialty crops products.
More information about these awards is available on this webpage: 2023 SCBGP Awarded Grants (pdf).
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