Specialty Crop Multi-State Program
Forecasted
Specialty Crop Multi-State Program supports collaborative teams tackling shared specialty crop issues through research, food safety, pest and disease work, and marketing to strengthen growers’ competitiveness.
Funder: California Department of Food and Agriculture
Due Dates: October 1, 2026 (Questions to CDFA) | October 16, 2026 (Partners to participating states/CDFA) | December 4, 2026 (Participating states and eligible direct applicants to AMS)
Funding Amounts: $250,000–$1,000,000 per project for up to three years; approximately $14.3 million available nationally
Summary: Supports collaborative, multi-state projects addressing regional or national issues to enhance specialty crop competitiveness.
Key Information: Projects require substantive partners in at least two states or territories and a 25% non-Federal cost share.
Description
The Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP) is a competitive federal grant program offered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and administered in California by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). It supports collaborative projects addressing practical specialty crop problems that cross state boundaries, with measurable benefits for growers in two or more states or territories.
Supported work includes food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific projects addressing common issues, and marketing and promotion. Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops, including floriculture. Projects must enhance the competitiveness of state-grown specialty crops in domestic or foreign markets, encourage partnerships, and reduce duplication of effort.
