Specialty Crop Block Grant
Forecasted
Specialty Crop Block Grant supports South Carolina specialty crop groups and organizations, funding research and other projects that strengthen the state’s specialty crop industry.
Funder: South Carolina Department of Agriculture
Due Dates (Anticipated): February 2027 (application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Projects may run 1–3 years; South Carolina’s recent annual allocation averaged $608,682
Summary: Supports projects that improve the competitiveness of South Carolina’s specialty crop industry.
Key Information: Projects must benefit more than one individual, institution, or organization.
Description
The South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) administers this competitive program with annual funding from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. It supports projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops grown in South Carolina. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture; the program also treats honey as a specialty crop, but not hemp.
Projects can address food safety, new crop varieties, applied research, pest and disease control, nutrition, distribution, or sustainability. SCDA gives special consideration to partnerships among multiple organizations that can create a broader impact on the state’s specialty crop industry. Research results should be available to producers, processors, and/or consumers within one to two years after the grant ends.
