The iowa department of agriculture and land stewardship will enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops; assisting producers with…

The Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service awarded the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship $369,273.79 under the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (CFDA 10.170) on September 30, 2025, to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops across Iowa through research, education, outreach, marketing, and producer assistance activities.

The recipient will conduct 12 sub-awarded projects spanning three focus areas: three research projects, six education and outreach projects, and one marketing project, plus two cross-functional projects addressing challenges confronting specialty crop producers. Supported crops include grapes, strawberries, amaranth greens, and other fruits and vegetables throughout Iowa.

Performance extends from September 30, 2025, through September 29, 2028. All work occurs in Iowa. The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program provides three-year awards to state departments of agriculture to strengthen specialty crop marketing, support research and development relevant to producer needs, expand availability and access, and address production challenges at local, regional, and national levels.

The iowa department of agriculture and land stewardship 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. The state's sub-awards include 3 research projects, 6 education and outreach projects, 1 marketing project and 2 projects that cross more than one focus area to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops including grapes, strawberries, amaranth greens, and other fruits and vegetables throughout the state of iowa.