On October 15, USDA's Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) announced the fiscal year 2009 Specialty Crop Block Grant - Farm Bill (SCBGP-FB) awards, which included $49 million to fund 745 projects.  Grants are provided to state departments of agriculture within the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

States are directed to fund projects that will "enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops" within their jurisdiction.  The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program was authorized with mandatory funds in the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill).    

Testifying at a hearing this week before the House Committee on Agriculture's Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture, AMS Administrator Rayne Pegg mentioned that next month, AMS will announce the availability of funding for the FY 2010 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and that FY 2010 applications will be due in June 2010.  The hearing, held by subcommittee Chairman Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), discussed the implementation of the Farm Bill's horticulture title, including questions regarding the most recent allocation of block grant funds.  

For more information about the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, visit the AMS website, and for a full list of the funded projects, click here.