On Tuesday, USDA announced the recipients of $86.6 million in grant funding to support the specialty crop industry through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). Included were 19 potato-specific projects, receiving nearly $2.32 million in funding.
From post-harvest management to consumer education to research, these programs develop new markets, increase the competitiveness of the specialty crop industry, and increase access to specialty crops for consumers.
“The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program continues to be an incredible way for our state potato organization, university, and state ag department partners to target programs of specific interest in their own states. NPC and the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance continue to push for support for this program in Congress as we work to advance a bipartisan Farm Bill,” stated Dean Gibson, NPC First Vice President and Vice President of Legislative Affairs.
A breakdown of the potato projects funded by the SCBGP is available here.
