Date: Thursday, August 25, 2022
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WASHINGTON, August 25, 2022—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today awarded over $1.3 million in Fiscal Year 2022 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funding to Arizona. This USDA grant will help the Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) fund projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state and support specialty crop growers through marketing, education, and research.
“USDA applauds Arizona’s continued commitment to supporting our nation’s producers of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The projects funded will foster innovative research and new market opportunities within the specialty crop sector, while furthering USDA’s goals of creating a more fair and equitable food system and supporting local and regional producers.”
Through the SCBGP, the AZDA will fund 18 projects. Among AZDA’s projects, is $100,000 for the International Rescue Committee’s New Roots Phoenix Specialty Crop Promotion and Marketing Project. The project will support refugee and other underserved specialty crop farmers through a diverse advertisement campaign and improved access to linguistically appropriate marketing resources. Additional funded projects focus in areas such as disease management, research, innovative technology, and certification training programs.
“We are excited for the opportunity to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops; assist producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops; educate consumers (adults and children) about specialty crops grown in Arizona; provide Continuing Education Units (CEU) to pest control advisors (PCA) and certified crop advisors (CCA); assist specialty crop producers with Good Handling Practices and Good Agricultural Practices (GHP/GAP) certification; expand availability of and access to specialty crops; and address challenges confronting Arizona specialty crop producers through a variety of activities/projects with our grant recipients,” said Arizona Department of Agriculture Director Mark Killian. “Arizona specialty crop producers, PCAs, CCAs and consumers in Arizona will benefit from these efforts.”
The funding to Arizona is part of a total of $72.9 million in non-competitive FY 2022 SCBGP funding awarded to 55 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 FY2022 funding is awarded for a three-year period beginning September 30, 2022. Since 2006, USDA has invested more than $953 million through the SCBGP to fund 11,331 projects that have increased the long-term successes of producers and broadened the market for specialty crops in the U.S. and abroad.
More information about these awards is available on this webpage: 2022 SCBGP Awarded Grants (pdf).
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