Opportunity Information: Apply for AMS FV 2012
Apply for AMS FV 2012
- The Agricultural Marketing Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Farm Bill" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.170 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Farm Bill.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 8, 2012 and posted on Feb 8, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 11, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 56 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) offered this Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) - Farm Bill funding opportunity to strengthen and expand the competitiveness of specialty crops across the United States and its territories. Roughly $55 million in total grant funding was made available (minus USDA administrative costs), and the program was explicitly limited to projects that benefit specialty crops. For this grant, "specialty crops" are defined as fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. The overall intent is not general agricultural support, but targeted investments that help specialty crop industries compete more effectively through efforts such as market development, research, education, food safety improvements, and other initiatives that broadly benefit the specialty crop sector.
Eligibility to apply was restricted to state-level governmental entities responsible for agriculture. In practice, that means a State department of agriculture (or an equivalent agency, commission, or department) within any of the 50 States, as well as the District of Columbia and several U.S. territories and commonwealths: Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Individual farmers, nonprofits, universities, or private businesses were not eligible to apply directly to AMS under this particular announcement. Instead, those stakeholders were expected to engage with their own State department of agriculture, which would apply to USDA and then typically run a competitive process within the state to select and fund specific projects.
A key feature of the opportunity is that AMS encouraged state departments of agriculture to actively conduct outreach to specialty crop stakeholders, including groups that are sometimes underrepresented in grantmaking, such as socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers. States were also encouraged to operate a competitive grant proposal process at the state level, meaning the state would solicit project ideas, evaluate proposals, and award subgrants or support projects that best advance the program goal of improving specialty crop competitiveness statewide or regionally. For applicants or potential project partners trying to get involved, the primary entry point would be their state contact listed through AMS on the SCBGP webpage, where each state and territory provides the appropriate program contact.
From an administrative standpoint, this was a mandatory grant program (not discretionary), issued by AMS under the funding opportunity number AMS-FV-2012. It was categorized under Agriculture and listed under CFDA number 10.170 (Specialty Crop Block Grant Program - Farm Bill). The announcement stated there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which means states were not required to provide matching funds as a condition of receiving the federal award, though states could still choose to leverage other resources to increase impact. AMS anticipated making 56 awards, which aligns with the number of eligible state and territorial applicants.
The timeline for this specific competition was clearly defined. The opportunity was posted on February 8, 2012, and applications from State departments of agriculture were due by July 11, 2012. The posting indicates an archive date of August 10, 2012, reflecting that it was no longer active after that period. Applicants seeking the official program rules, allowable activities, and submission requirements were directed to the Notice of Funds Availability published in the Federal Register, accessible via the provided Government Publishing Office link. For technical difficulties accessing the announcement or for program questions, the listed USDA contact was Trista Etzig, Project Manager, reachable by phone at 202-690-4942.
In short, this grant opportunity was a sizable federal funding stream routed through state departments of agriculture, designed to fund projects that broadly strengthen specialty crop industries. Anyone outside a state government agriculture agency who wanted to participate would need to work through their state department of agriculture, typically by responding to that state's SCBGP subgrant solicitation or partnering on a proposal that supports specialty crop competitiveness.
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) - Farm Bill (AMS-FV-2012) FAQs
What is this grant opportunity?
This is the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) - Farm Bill funding opportunity. Its purpose is to strengthen and expand the competitiveness of specialty crops across the United States and its territories through targeted investments that broadly benefit the specialty crop sector.
What is the main goal of the program?
The program goal is to improve the competitiveness of specialty crops through efforts such as market development, research, education, food safety improvements, and other initiatives that benefit the specialty crop industry broadly. It is not intended to be general agricultural support.
How much total funding was available under this opportunity?
Roughly $55 million in total grant funding was made available, minus USDA administrative costs.
What kinds of crops are considered "specialty crops" for this program?
For this grant, "specialty crops" are defined as fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, tree nuts, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.
Are projects required to focus only on specialty crops?
Yes. The opportunity was explicitly limited to projects that benefit specialty crops, as defined in the announcement.
Who was eligible to apply directly to USDA AMS under this announcement?
Eligibility to apply directly to AMS was limited to state-level governmental entities responsible for agriculture. In practice, that means a State department of agriculture (or an equivalent agency, commission, or department).
Which states and territories were eligible applicants?
Eligible applicants included agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and these U.S. territories/commonwealths: Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Could an individual farmer apply directly to AMS for this funding?
No. Individual farmers were not eligible to apply directly to AMS under this particular announcement.
Could nonprofits, universities, or private businesses apply directly to AMS?
No. Nonprofits, universities, and private businesses were not eligible to apply directly to AMS under this announcement.
If I am not a state department of agriculture, how can I participate?
Stakeholders such as farmers, nonprofits, universities, and businesses were expected to work through their own state department of agriculture. Typically, the state applies to USDA and then runs a competitive process within the state to select and fund specific projects (often as subgrants).
What was AMS encouraging states to do regarding outreach?
AMS encouraged state departments of agriculture to actively conduct outreach to specialty crop stakeholders. This included engaging groups that are sometimes underrepresented in grantmaking, such as socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers.
Were states expected to run a competitive process for project selection?
States were encouraged to operate a competitive grant proposal process at the state level. This means the state would solicit project ideas, evaluate proposals, and award subgrants or otherwise support projects that best advance the program goal.
Where do I find my state's SCBGP contact to learn about subgrants or participation?
The primary entry point is the state contact listed through AMS on the SCBGP webpage, where each state and territory provides the appropriate program contact.
Is this a discretionary or mandatory grant program?
This was described as a mandatory grant program (not discretionary), issued by AMS.
What is the funding opportunity number for this announcement?
The funding opportunity number was AMS-FV-2012.
What CFDA number was associated with this program?
The opportunity was listed under CFDA number 10.170 (Specialty Crop Block Grant Program - Farm Bill).
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement stated there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement. States were not required to provide matching funds as a condition of receiving the federal award.
How many awards did AMS anticipate making?
AMS anticipated making 56 awards, aligning with the number of eligible state and territorial applicants.
What were the key dates for this specific competition?
The opportunity was posted on February 8, 2012. Applications were due by July 11, 2012. The posting indicates an archive date of August 10, 2012, reflecting that it was no longer active after that period.
Where can applicants find the official program rules and requirements?
Applicants were directed to the Notice of Funds Availability published in the Federal Register, accessible via the provided Government Publishing Office link in the announcement.
Who was the USDA contact listed for program questions or technical issues?
The listed USDA contact was Trista Etzig, Project Manager. The provided phone number was 202-690-4942.
What is the program trying to fund, in practical terms?
The program was designed to fund projects that broadly strengthen specialty crop industries and help them compete more effectively. Examples of the types of efforts mentioned include market development, research, education, and food safety improvements, as well as other initiatives that broadly benefit the specialty crop sector.
Does the program focus on statewide or regional benefit?
States were encouraged to select and fund projects that best advance the program goal of improving specialty crop competitiveness statewide or regionally.
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