Specialty Crop Multi-State Program
Specialty Crop Multi-State Program supports collaborative partners in research, food safety, pest management, and marketing projects that strengthen the competitiveness of U.S.-grown specialty crops.
Funder: Texas Department of Agriculture
Due Dates: October 16, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Central Time (Extended application deadline)
Funding Amounts: $250,000–$1,000,000 per three-year project; approximately $14.3 million available nationally in FY 2026
Summary: Supports collaborative multi-state projects that enhance the competitiveness of U.S.-grown specialty crops through research, food safety, pest management, and marketing.
Key Information: Projects must involve at least two partners in different states and provide nonfederal cost share equal to 25% of requested federal funds.
Description
The Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP), administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), competitively funds collaborative projects addressing regional or national specialty-crop issues. Texas participates through the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), which submits eligible applications to AMS and administers awarded agreements. Projects must enhance the competitiveness of U.S. or U.S. territory-grown specialty crops in domestic or foreign markets.
Supported work includes food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific projects addressing common issues, and marketing and promotion. Research may address breeding, genetics, genomics, production and processing efficiencies, environmental impacts, or supply-chain logistics. Projects should produce measurable benefits for specialty-crop growers, encourage partnerships, and reduce duplication. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture.
