The Specialty Crop Multi-State
Program (SCMP) is a new federal
grant program offered by USDA’S Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). The SCMP
competitively funds projects to solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty
crops through 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.
Specialty crops are defined as fruits and
vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, and nursery crops (including floriculture).
Additional examples of specialty crops include Christmas trees, culinary herbs
and spices, honey, hops, and maple syrup. For specific crop eligibility,
visit What is a
Specialty Crop?
How does the program work?
Multi-state partners must submit proposals to a
Participating State department of agriculture to be considered for funding.
Participating State departments of agriculture are the only entities that can
apply directly to AMS for SCMP funds.
Participating States will accept proposals from
multi-state partners; applicants must follow application requirements outlined
in the 2015 SCMP
Request for Applications.
AMS will evaluate all submitted proposals and
make final funding decisions. Participating States will then assume
administrative responsibility for any funded proposals. As the official award
recipients, Participating States will establish subgrant agreements with
multi-state partners to complete funded projects. Participating States do not
determine which projects are funded or assist multi-state partners in proposal
development.
Multi-state partners should select a Participating State and contact them to receive updates on the SCMP
application process. Multi-state partners must select only one participating
State department of agriculture to work with. Multiple submissions of the same
application are not allowed.
Proposal Deadline
There are two proposal deadlines. Applications are due to the Participating State
department of agriculture by December 15, 2015. The
deadline for Participating State departments of agriculture to submit
applications to AMS is January 14, 2016. Contact Karen Fedor at Karen.fedor@maryland.gov or
410-841-5773 for more information.
How much funding is available?
AMS will award approximately $3 million in this
round, and proposals can request between $250,000 and $1,000,000.
Project Eligibility
The following types of projects are eligible.
Review the 2015 SCMP
Request for Applications for details.
- Food safety
- Plant pests and disease
- Research
- Crop-specific projects
addressing common issues
- Marketing and promotion
AMS will give priority to proposals where the
main project activities fall under the following project types:
- Food safety
- Plant pests and disease
- Research
How do multi-state partners apply?
- Review the 2015 SCMP
Request for Applications in its entirety.
- Choose a start date for
your project in calendar year 2016.
- Because this is a new program, AMS does not yet
have a target date for announcing SCMP awards.
- A no-cost time extension will be available to
any funded project that was delayed because of seasonal issues.
- Select a Participating State to receive your proposal. If your proposal is
funded, this is the state that will administer your subgrant agreement,
disburse funds, and manage project reporting.
- Submit your proposal to
the Participating State by the deadline (to be determined soon).
Once your proposal is under consideration for
funding, you will work with the Participating State during the budget
negotiation phase to allocate the award’s indirect costs (also known as
administration costs), which may be used to reimburse the Participating State
for the costs of administering your project. Indirect costs are capped at 8% of
the total award. For example, for a $250,000 project, 8% or $20,000 may be allocated
for indirect costs, leaving $230,000 for direct cost activities.
Definitions
Multi-State Partners
The multi-state organizational team that submits
a SCMP proposal to develop solutions for problems that cross state boundaries
and address the needs of specialty crop growers. The team must involve at least
two partners located in different states. A Participating State department of agriculture which will provide only administrative support for the
project does not count as a project partner. Acceptable partnerships can include:
- A national level organization and a State department of agriculture
- State level organizations from two different States
- Tribes
- Land grant or State universitys or colleges
- Specialty crop producer organizations
- Non-profit organizations
Participating State
Departments of Agriculture
The Maryland Department of Agriculture will serve
as a Participating State for the SCMP. Participating State departments (or
agencies) of agriculture are the only entities that can apply directly to AMS
for SCMP funds. Participating States accept proposals from multi-state
partners, screen proposals to ensure they meet eligibility requirements, and
submit all eligible proposals to AMS.
Multi-state partners must submit proposals to a
Participating State department of agriculture to be considered for funding.
Participating States cannot assist interested multi-state partners in
developing proposals or provide feedback to improve their proposals and are not
responsible for finding proposal partners.
Specialty Crops
Specialty crops are defined“fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery
crops (including floriculture).” Additional examples of specialty crops include
Christmas trees, culinary herbs and spices, honey, hops, and maple syrup.
Eligible processed products must consist of greater than 50% of the specialty
crop by weight, exclusive of added water. For specific crop eligibility,
visit What is a
Specialty Crop?