LITTLE ROCK, AR – The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the 2026 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) through May 8, 2026.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), this program is designed to enhance the competitiveness of Arkansas’s specialty crop industry. Specialty crops are defined by USDA as fruits, vegetables, horticulture, floriculture, and tree nuts.
Eligible applicants include universities, institutions, cooperatives, producers, industry groups, community-based organizations, and individuals. Proposed projects must demonstrate the potential to benefit the broader specialty crop industry and/or the public, rather than a single organization or individual.
Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that address key issues facing the specialty crop sector, including:
- Enhancing food safety
- Improving the capacity of producers and other entities in the specialty crop supply chain to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act
- Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and the consumption of specialty crops
- Advancing research to improve production efficiency and crop quality
- Investing in research that supports conservation, environmental outcomes, and sustainability within specialty crop production
- Strengthening the long-term resilience and sustainability of specialty crop systems
The application and full program details are available on the Department’s website here. Project proposals must request a minimum of $20,000 in funding. All submissions will be reviewed by a committee, and selected projects will be incorporated into Arkansas’s state plan for USDA approval.
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Media Contact: Ayden Duncan, (501) 813-6012
[email protected]