The maine department of agriculture, conservation and forestry will enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by leveraging marketing and promotion efforts assisting producers with research and…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) awarded a $663,383.11 Specialty Crop Block Grant to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. The grant, awarded on September 30, 2024, will fund projects to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Maine through the end of the performance period on September 29, 2027. Key activities include leveraging marketing and promotion efforts, assisting producers with research and development, expanding awareness and access to specialty crops, and addressing challenges faced by specialty crop producers in the state. The grant will be used to make sub-awards to Maine specialty crop producers and related groups to implement measurable projects and activities that support the program's objectives, with outcomes shared to benefit the broader specialty crop industry in Maine.

The maine department of agriculture, conservation and forestry will enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by leveraging marketing and promotion efforts assisting producers with research and development expanding awareness, availability and access and addressing challenges through a variety of projects coordinated through grant awards made to maine specialty crop producers and related groups. Projects and activities are measurable and outcomes will be shared to enhance the success of specialty crop producers and a stakeholders throughout the state.