The north dakota department of agriculture will enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops assisting producers with research and…

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture received a $3,380,166.13 Specialty Crop Block Grant award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (CFDA 10.170 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program - Farm Bill) to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state. The award will support a range of activities over a three-year period from September 2024 to September 2027, including leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops, assisting producers with research and development, expanding availability and access to specialty crops, and addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers. The grant will involve sub-awards to various entities such as research institutions, universities, and local agricultural organizations to implement these initiatives and deliver measurable outcomes for specialty crop producers and residents of North Dakota.

The north dakota department of agriculture will enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops assisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops expanding availability and access to specialty crops and addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers through a variety of activities projects with their grant recipients. Beneficiaries include the residents of the state or territory. Performance evidence in the form of measurable outcomes is required.