Date: Wednesday, August 23, 2023
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WASHINGTON, August 23, 2023—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today awarded over $4.8 million in Fiscal Year 2023 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funding to Washington. With this grant, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) will fund projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crop products and create new market opportunities for the state’s specialty crop producers.
“With this year’s Specialty Crop Block Grant funding, Washington is investing in innovative projects that will help address the needs of specialty crop producers within the region,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The funded projects will also further USDA’s efforts to ensure U.S. specialty crop products remain competitive in markets across the nation and abroad.”
Through the SCBGP, the WSDA will fund 21 projects. Among the projects, is more than $249,000 in funding for the Washington State Tree Fruit Association (WSTFA). The WSTFA, in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Technical Services and Education Program (TSEP) and Washington State University (WSU), created the Agricultural Leadership Program (ALP), a comprehensive leadership program developed to enhance the leadership skills of farm owners, supervisors, and managers. This project will expand ALP to the entire agricultural industry due to the high interest expressed by other specialty crop groups in the state.
The WSTFA and partners will identify individuals with training abilities, knowledge, and experience of Washington’s agriculture, to prepare them to become bilingual trainers that can deliver industry-relevant leadership topics to farm owners, supervisors, and managers for the ALP.
Additional funded projects focus on areas such as research, marketing, and training and education.
“I’m excited about the Specialty Crop Block Grant funding awarded this year and the opportunities it presents for Washington specialty crop producers. Innovative projects, like the ones funded through the Specialty Crop Block Grant program, are critical to ensuring Washington specialty crops remain competitive locally, nationally, and internationally,” said Washington State Department of Agriculture Director Derek Sandison.
The funding to Washington is part of a total of $72.9 million in non-competitive FY 2023 SCBGP funding awarded to 54 states, territories, and the District of Columbia. The SCBGP funding supports farmers growing specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops. USDA’s support will strengthen U.S. specialty crop production and markets, ensuring an abundant, affordable supply of highly nutritious fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops, which are vital to the health and well-being of all Americans.
The funding for the SCBGP grants is authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill and FY2023 funding is awarded for a three-year period beginning Sept. 30, 2023. Since 2006, USDA has invested over $1 billion through the SCBGP to fund nearly 12,000 projects that have increased the long-term successes of producers and enhanced marketing opportunities for U.S. specialty crops products.
More information about these awards is available on this webpage: 2023 SCBGP Awarded Grants (pdf).
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