New Grant Monies For Mass Farmers

Somerville Winter Market (photo: USDAgov/Flickr)

Earlier today officials from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) announced that $400,000 will be made available to specialty crop producers in Massachusetts.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing the funding through its Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. (You’ll recall that, on the federal level, “specialty crops” do not refer to exotic or non-native crops, but instead to fruits and vegetables, broadly speaking.) Indeed, the newly announced grants will help bolster the market for specialty crops in Massachusetts, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts and dried fruits.

This funding will strengthen the Massachusetts agricultural economy by jumpstarting new markets, creating job opportunities and promoting greater access to safe, locally grown food.
– DAR Commissioner Scott J. Soares

With the awarding of these grants, DAR will begin a competitive Request for Response (RFR) process. This means all agricultural organizations — beginning farmers, commodity groups, individuals, agricultural organizations, colleges and universities, producers, municipalities, state agencies and agricultural nonprofits — are eligible for this grant program. Proposals must meet all the specifications in the Department’s RFR and the USDA’s Notice of Federal Assistance, CFDA 10.170.

Comprehensive information about the application process can be found on the MDAR website.