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News
Grants
Available to Promote Specialty Crops
Posted 23 June 2009
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced that the Iowa
Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is eligible to receive
$242,767 grant funds through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and
as a result will make grants available to help enhance the
competitiveness of specialty crops grown in Iowa. The Department
will receive the funds from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.
“Specialty crops are a very important part of Iowa agriculture as they
allow farmers to diversify and give customers access to locally grown
products,” Northey said. “These funds are available to support
food safety, research and marketing efforts that will encourage Iowans
to choose the products that are produced right here in our state.”
Iowa agricultural non-profit organizations, cooperatives, specialty
crop industry associations or organizations, and producer groups are
all eligible to apply for funding to enhance the competitiveness of
specialty crops. In addition, individuals, partnerships and
universities may participate in the grant program by developing and
submitting proposals through an eligible applicant. Private
individuals and companies are not eligible to apply.
Grant awards will be considered up to a maximum of $15,000.
Guidelines for the allocation of grant funds will be Food Safety 20%,
Research 30%, and Marketing 50%. Administrative costs and
indirect costs are not allowed.
Grant funds shall be used for projects that solely enhance the
competitiveness of specialty crops that benefit the specialty crop
industry as a whole and will not be awarded for projects that directly
benefit a particular product or provide a profit to a single
organization, institution, or individual.
“Specialty Crops” that are eligible under this program are fruits and
vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops,
including floriculture.
Proposals must be received by IDALS on or before 4:00 p.m. on Friday,
July 17, 2009. For more information visit the IDALS Specialty
Crop Block Grant program at the Department’s web site at www.IowaAgriculture.gov.
The Department also recently announced that specialty crop stakeholders
are encouraged to consider submitting public comment to identify their
priorities for the Program and is also establishing a new Review
Committee to help review, evaluate, and make recommendations on grant
proposals submitted to the Department.
Iowans interested in learning more about the program or submitting
comment about the program can email.
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