Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) in Louisiana is administered by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) and is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS). This program is part of a national initiative authorized by the Farm Bill under Section 101 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004, with subsequent amendments in the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills. The SCBGP aims to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, which include fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops including floriculture. For the 2026 cycle, LDAF anticipates approximately $350,000 in funding will be allocated to Louisiana, although final funding amounts are pending USDA confirmation. The primary goal of the SCBGP is to improve the position of specialty crops in domestic and international markets through targeted projects. These may include research and development, marketing initiatives, food safety improvements, plant health innovations, nutritional outreach, and more. All projects must serve a broader benefit to the Louisiana specialty crop industry and may not serve a single entity or promote commercial products for profit. Applicants must show how their project will benefit multiple stakeholders across the industry. Eligible applicants include Louisiana-based state agencies, universities, nonprofit institutions, and community-based or producer organizations. Projects must demonstrate clear relevance to specialty crops and must fall within one of five focus areas defined by LDAF: Food Safety, Nutrition, Plant Health, Value-Added and Industry Development, or Marketing. LDAF places particular emphasis on applied research that can yield results and be transferred to industry stakeholders within one to two years. Applications must be submitted electronically to LDAF by 4:30 PM CST on April 30, 2026. Required documents include the signed application cover sheet, project profile template, internal control risk assessment, and USDA forms such as the SF-424. All materials must be emailed to [email protected]. LDAF will not accept faxed or mailed applications and will not review submissions prior to the deadline for completeness. The review process begins in May 2026, with USDA review continuing through the summer. Final selections and funding agreements are anticipated in fall 2026, with projects beginning December 1, 2026 and concluding by September 30, 2028. Evaluation criteria include alignment with SCBGP goals, impact on Louisiana’s specialty crop sector, measurable outcomes, work plan quality, and budget justification. Applications are scored by a panel of internal and external experts, with additional consideration for past grant performance and geographic or commodity diversity. High-scoring applications are not guaranteed funding if overall program resources are limited. Awarded projects operate on a cost reimbursement basis, with 90% of funding reimbursed throughout the grant period and the final 10% released after all final reports are submitted and approved. Grant recipients are required to submit quarterly and annual performance reports and to retain financial records for at least three years following project completion. LDAF reserves the right to withdraw funding or reassign unspent funds if recipients fail to meet reporting or project progress expectations. No cost sharing or matching funds are required under this program.

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