The vermont agency of agriculture will enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops; assisting producers with research and…

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service awarded the Vermont Agency of Agriculture $317,432.41 under the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (CFDA 10.170) on September 30, 2025, to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through marketing, promotion, research, and development activities addressing local, regional, and national challenges facing specialty crop producers.

The award funds a portfolio of seven sub-awards spanning one research project, two education and outreach projects, and four cross-focus initiatives targeting tomatoes, maple sugar, herbs, and various fruits and vegetables throughout Vermont. University of Vermont serves as a sub-recipient on three identified research and infrastructure projects: upgrading and expanding the Vermont Network for Environment and Weather (NEWA) system to support specialty crop producer resilience and profitability (sub-award dated February 9, 2026), investigating the long-term health impacts of maple sugaring on maple trees (sub-award dated February 4, 2026), and improving airflow in high tunnels to increase yield and profitability (sub-award dated February 11, 2026). The remaining four sub-awards and their recipients are not detailed in the source.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture will execute performance from September 30, 2025, through September 29, 2028, with all work performed in Vermont. This is a three-year block grant under the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which serves as the vehicle through which USDA AMS distributes competitively selected funding to state departments of agriculture to support specialty crop sector competitiveness through state-directed project portfolios.

The vermont agency 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. The state's subawards include 1 research project, 2 education and outreach projects, and 4 projects that cross more than one focus area to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops including tomatoes, maple sugar, herbs, and various fruits and vegetables throughout the state of vermont.