Specialty Crop Multi-State Grant Program 2026
This USDA grant funds collaborative projects between multiple states or territories to improve the competitiveness of specialty crops through research, marketing, food safety, and pest management initiatives.
Funder: Agricultural Marketing Service
Due Dates: October 16, 2026 (Partners to participating states) | December 4, 2026 (Applications to AMS)
Funding Amounts: $250,000–$1,000,000 per project for up to three years; approximately $14.3 million available
Summary: Supports collaborative multi-state projects that enhance the competitiveness of U.S.-grown specialty crops in domestic or foreign markets.
Key Information: Entities in participating states must apply through their State Department of Agriculture, not directly to AMS.
Description
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) administers the Specialty Crop Multi-State Program to support collaborative projects addressing regional or national specialty crop issues. Funded work must produce measurable benefits for growers across two or more U.S. states or territories and enhance the competitiveness of U.S.-grown specialty crops in domestic or foreign markets. Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.
The program supports food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific projects addressing common issues, and marketing and promotion. Projects should bring together teams to solve practical problems across state boundaries, encourage partnerships among specialty crop organizations, and reduce duplication of effort. Research may address breeding and genetics, production and distribution efficiencies, environmental impacts, or supply-chain logistics.
