Specialty Crop Block Grant

ISDA
Grants & Funding Opportunities
Current: Specialty Crop Block Grant

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP)

Status: ISDA is now accepting eligibility screening form submissions. The SCBGP application period opens in early Spring 2025

In anticipation of the annual Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) application period opening in early Spring 2025*, ISDA is trying a new process to assist organizations who are planning to apply. This new step, called the entity screening process, is focused solely on the readiness of the organization applying. This is not a requirement or a part of the application process, nor does it confirm eligibility for ISDA grants. Rather, it exists as a tool to guide the organization in uploading or obtaining necessary documentation to prepare for the application process. Directions and details are listed in the online form.

Click here to complete the SCBGP Eligibility Screening Form

The form will close on November 30 at 11:59 pm. If you have any questions regarding this new process, please reach out to Selena Tartabull or Emily Conwell.

* The Agriculture Improvement Act (“The Farm Bill”) of 2018, extended through FY2023 by HR 6363, expired on September 30, 2024. The bill was a multi-year law that governed an array of agricultural and food programs, including the Specialty Crop Block Program. Despite the expiration of the bill, we expect the application round to open in spring 2025 and will communicate any updates via the ISDA grant opportunities and funding page. Preliminary selections and award amounts made by Indiana for FY2025 SCBGP are contingent upon congressional approval of the farm bill.

The Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) program helps State Departments of Agriculture enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops throughout the state of Indiana by:

Leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops;
Assisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops;
Expanding availability and access to specialty crops; and,
Addressing local, regional, and national challenges confront specialty crop producers.

Specialty crops are defined as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture).” Please refer to the list of plants on the United State Department of Agriculture website to determine eligibility: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp/specialty-crop.

Eligible Projects

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program projects must enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state of Indiana to be eligible. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that the proposed project will benefit the specialty crop industry and/or the public as a whole. Projects that benefit a single entity, organization, or individual are not eligible.

Eligible Applicants

For-profit entities (including sole proprietors), nonprofit entities, local units of government (e.g., towns, cities, counties), and both public and private institutions of higher education (IHEs) may apply for the SCBGP. Individuals acting on their own are not eligible to apply.

ISDA SCBGP Application Resources:

USDA-AMS SCBGP Resources: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp

Eligibility Resources

Questions? Contact:

Emily Conwell, Economic Development Program Director
EmConwell@isda.IN.gov | 317.502.5673

Success Stories

Slaughter Orchard & Cidery - 2023 Awardee

SCBG Slaughter

Slaughter Orchard & Cidery was awarded $163,680 in Specialty Crop Block Grant Funds in 2023 to demonstrate to orchards, cider mills, cideries and wholesale buyers that ground harvested apples can be safely and legally harvested, processed and fermented into hard cider by creating a HACCP Plan, demonstrating the HACCP Plan for stakeholders during multiple field days and writing a position paper explaining how the process can be achieved safely and legally by others in the apple, cider and hard cider industries.

Slaughter Orchard & Cidery presented their Indiana Specialty Crop Block Grant on the safe harvest of ground apples to make hard cider at CiderCon 2024, the annual meeting of the American Cider Association in Portland, Oregon. Interested orchards, cider mills, cideries, researchers, and industry participants were able to discuss how they can participate in upcoming orchard demonstration days and learn safe methods for harvesting and processing ground apples into juice for fermentation into hard cider. Their project will be completed by 2026.

Sign up for grant updates at www.slaughterorchard.com/groundapples. Updates will include upcoming orchard demonstration days, a model HACCP plan, and an educational paper.

Specialty Crop Block Grant