LDAF Accepting Specialty Crop Multi-State Program Applications

BATON ROUGE -- Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) is accepting 2017 Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP) grant applications. The SCMP offers grants to project partners to solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by funding collaborative, multi-state projects that address regional or national level specialty-crop issues including: food safety; plant pests and disease; research; crop-specific projects addressing common issues; and marketing and promotion. The program is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS). 

“With this particular grant program, the application process is a little different,” Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., said. “Only participating state departments of agriculture submit applications for multi-state partner projects to the USDA for consideration.” 

Multi-state partners are encouraged to develop projects that bring together teams to research and develop solutions to certain specialty-crop issues that cross state lines and address the needs of specialty crop growers. 

Applications from multi-state partner projects must be submitted to the LDAF, a participating state, or any other participating state by 5 p.m. Eastern time, September 25, 2017. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered for funding. A complete list of participating states that can accept applications may be found at www.ams.usda.gov/services/ grants/scmp/states-contacts. 

Examples of project partners include but are not limited to, the following entities: 

  • Non-participating state departments of agriculture
  • Participating State departments of agriculture, but only if they have more than an administrative role in the project
  • State agencies such as state departments of public health, state departments of natural resources, etc.
  • Tribes
  • Land grant or state universities or colleges
  • Specialty crop producer organizations
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Federal entities such as USDA agricultural research stations, and Agricultural Research Service research centers 

The minimum project award is $250,000 and the maximum award amount is $1,000,000. SCMP projects must be completed within 3 years. 

To view the Request for Proposals, visit www.ams.usda.gov/sites/ default/files/media/ SCMPRFA2017.pdf. For additional information, contact Michelle Estay at 985-345-9483.

 

don molino