MDA Grants Fund Specialty Crop Projects

St. Paul, MN - The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is accepting applications for Specialty Crop Grants to help improve the competitiveness of Minnesota’s specialty crops through research, education and market development. Applications are due by 4:00 p.m. CDT on March 15, 2018.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines specialty crops as fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. Eligible projects may include maple syrup, turf grass and even processed products. The USDA provides funding for these grants through the Farm Bill.

Non-profit organizations, producer organizations, government agencies, universities and other agricultural groups involved in specialty crop research and market development are encouraged to apply.

Applications will be reviewed, scored, selected and notified in April of 2018. The earliest anticipated project start date is November 1, 2018. Projects may take up to two-and-a-half years to complete and funding can range from $10,000 to $100,000.

For more information, including the online application, funding priorities and a list of previously funded proposals, visit http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTgwMjA4Ljg1MDY1NDExJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE4MDIwOC44NTA2NTQxMSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2OTg0MTc5JmVtYWlsaWQ9aW5mb0ByZWRsYWtlbmF0aW9ubmV3cy5jb20mdXNlcmlkPWluZm9AcmVkbGFrZW5hdGlvbm5ld3MuY29tJnRhcmdldGlkPSZmbD0mZXh0cmE9TXVsdGl2YXJpYXRlSWQ9JiYm&&&102&&&http://www.mda.state.mn.us/grants/grants/specialty.