Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Over $500,000 in funding is available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture is holding virtual workshops in January in preparation for the Feb. 14 grant proposal deadline.
Outreach workshops for potential applicants to learn more and to gain a better understanding of the program will be held as follows:
— Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 1 p.m. Register for this meeting at: https://nmsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEkf-CoqDMrHNaBbrAQH830wtPHdyb9UMfT
— Friday, Jan. 13, at 7:30 a.m. Register for this meeting at: https://nmsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMldeGvpjwoHtYcdLo7h939XgCfHrHiFB2w
— Tuesday, Jan. 17, at noon. Register for this meeting at: https://nmsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIscOGpqDsqGdLlUGLooqfeTTo0NlSe9E0k
After registering, individuals will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
If a person is unable to attend any of the workshops, he or she may schedule a one-on-one meeting by emailing [email protected] by Jan. 17. Emails must include the preferred date and time.
The USDA established the grant program to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, which are defined by the USDA as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops.” Through enhanced competitiveness of specialty crops, the goal is to improve food access in underserved communities and improve development of local and rural food systems.
The program is part of the Farm Bill, and the USDA allocates funding to state departments of agriculture. Interested individuals and non-federal entities (producer groups, non-profits, trade associations and colleges/universities) are eligible to apply. Grant funds cannot be awarded to projects that solely benefit a particular commercial product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution or an individual.
All project proposals must prioritize either marketing, training, certification, food safety, pest control or plant health for the benefit of specialty crops and must be submitted to NMDA for review by a panel of staff and experts by Tuesday, Feb. 14.
New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte said his team will help producers through the application process.
“I encourage anyone who is eligible to apply for this grant to take advantage of the free workshops we are offering, so our team may guide you along the way,” Witte said. “We don’t want anyone in the New Mexico agriculture community to miss out on this funding opportunity.”
Before applying, applicants should consider their eligibility for federal funds, types of expenses needed, infrastructure, timeframe, potential beneficiaries, possible partners, reimbursement of expenditures and other factors. Considering all of these factors beforehand can help determine the potential need for federal aid.
An animated video explaining this grant program may be viewed on NMDA’s YouTube channel or the ElevateNMag.com website. Questions should be directed to [email protected].