The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced April 13 the availability of more than $330 million to help agricultural producers and organizations in the food supply chain recover from the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funding is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative launched in March, and includes $169.9 million for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP).
According to the USDA, the funding will aid in developing new markets for U.S. agricultural products, expand the specialty crop food sector, and incentivize the purchase of fruits and vegetables by low-income consumers.
