Specialty Crop Multi-State Program
Specialty Crop Multi-State Program supports cross-state partners working on research, food safety, crop challenges, and promotion to strengthen U.S.-grown specialty crops in domestic and foreign markets.
Funder: Texas Department of Agriculture
Due Dates: October 16, 2026 (extended application deadline)
Funding Amounts: $250,000–$1,000,000 per project for three years; approximately $14.3 million available in FY 2026
Summary: Supports collaborative, multi-state projects that improve the competitiveness of U.S.-grown specialty crops.
Key Information: Projects require partners in at least two states or territories and a non-Federal cost share equal to 25% of the Federal request.
Description
The Specialty Crop Multi-State Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS). The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) participates by receiving eligible applications, submitting them to USDA-AMS, and overseeing awarded agreements. The program funds partnerships that address regional or national issues affecting specialty crop growers and produce measurable benefits across state boundaries.
Projects may focus on food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific issues shared across regions, or marketing and promotion. They must improve the competitiveness of U.S. or U.S. territory-grown specialty crops in domestic or foreign markets. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.
