An anticipated $1.2 million in specialty crop block grants is expected to come to North Carolina this year. The application period for nonprofits and government agencies is open now through 5 p.m. March 10. The goal of the grants is to grow the competitiveness of specialty crops in the marketplace.

• Specialty crops represent a significant sector of North Carolina’s $111 billion agriculture and agribusiness industry, and  we continue to work on ways to expand their production and develop new crops to grow.
  
  
• When we talk about specialty crops, we are including fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, culinary herbs and spices, medicinal plants and nursery crops, plus floriculture and horticulture plants.
  
  
• The department has been the recipient of USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant funding for a number of years, and we anticipate having $1.2 million in grants available this year, too.
  
  
• The grants are awarded to nonprofits and governmental agencies with the goal of increasing the competitiveness of specialty crops in the marketplace.
  
  
• Commodity groups, colleges and universities, state and local governments and nonprofits can all apply.
  
  
• The deadline to apply is March 10 at 5 p.m.

Interested groups can find a link to the grant application on our website at www.ncagr.gov.