USDA Announces $72.9 Million in Grant Funding Awarded to Support U.S. Specialty Crop Producers; Marks $1 Billion in Investments through this Program

U.S. Department of Agriculture Announces $72.9 Million in Grants for Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

WASHINGTON, August 23, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced $72.9 million awarded to 55 states and territories through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). The grant program provides funding to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops and support specialty crop growers through marketing, education, and research.

Investing in Sustainable Development Goals

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program plays a crucial role in supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By providing funding to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, the program contributes to SDG 2: Zero Hunger, by ensuring sustained access to fresh, locally grown specialty crop products for Americans. Additionally, the program supports SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, by investing in food safety and improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems.

Remarks from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack

“USDA is excited to announce that this year’s Specialty Crop Block Grant awards marks over $1 billion invested in nearly 12,000 projects that support the U.S. specialty crop industry,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is a critical piece of USDA and the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to support small and mid-sized producers and ensure Americans have sustained access to fresh, locally grown specialty crop products.”

Funding Allocation and Authorization

The Fiscal year 2023 SCBGP funding is awarded to the departments of agriculture in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The funding for SCBGP is authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill.

Supporting Specialty Crop Growers

States are encouraged to subaward funding to projects that address the needs of U.S. producers of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops. The funded projects include:

1. Investing in food safety
2. Specialty crop research, including research on conservation and environmental outcomes
3. Developing new and improved seed varieties and specialty crops
4. Pest and disease control
5. Increasing child and adult nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops
6. Improving efficiency and reducing costs of distribution systems

For more information on the projects, please refer to the individual press releases for each state and territory. The press releases can be viewed on the SCBGP 2023 Grant Awards webpage.

USDA’s Commitment to Sustainable Food Systems

USDA is committed to transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities. The department is also dedicated to building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices. In addition, USDA is making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America and is committed to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America.

For more information, visit the USDA website: www.usda.gov.

Equal Opportunity Provider, Employer, and Lender

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 15: Life on Land

The article discusses the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP), which aims to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops and support specialty crop growers through marketing, education, and research. This aligns with SDG 2, which focuses on achieving zero hunger by promoting sustainable agriculture and improving food security. It also connects to SDG 3, as supporting specialty crop growers can contribute to good health and well-being by increasing access to fresh, locally grown specialty crop products. Additionally, the program supports economic growth for small and mid-sized producers, linking to SDG 8. The emphasis on conservation, environmental outcomes, and reducing costs of distribution systems relates to SDG 12, which promotes responsible consumption and production. Finally, the focus on pest and disease control and improving efficiency aligns with SDG 15, which aims to protect and restore ecosystems on land.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers.
• Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
• Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, and innovation.
• Target 12.3: By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.
• Target 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies, and accounts.

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified include doubling the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers (Target 2.3), reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (Target 3.4), promoting productive activities and decent job creation (Target 8.3), reducing food waste and losses (Target 12.3), and integrating ecosystem and biodiversity values into planning and development processes (Target 15.9).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 2.3.1: Volume of production per labor unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size.
• Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease.
• Indicator 8.3.1: Proportion of informal employment in non-agriculture employment, by sex.
• Indicator 12.3.1: Food loss index.
• Indicator 15.9.1: Progress towards national targets established in accordance with Aichi Biodiversity Target 2 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.

The article does not explicitly mention indicators, but based on the identified targets, the following indicators can be used to measure progress: volume of production per labor unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size (Indicator 2.3.1), mortality rate attributed to non-communicable diseases (Indicator 3.4.1), proportion of informal employment in non-agriculture employment (Indicator 8.3.1), food loss index (Indicator 12.3.1), and progress towards national targets for biodiversity (Indicator 15.9.1).

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: usda.gov

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