Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
Time is starting to run short for submitting an application for the N.C. Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The deadline is March 27 at 5 p.m.
The NCDA&CS administers the program with funding from the federal farm bill. The purpose is to support efforts to make specialty crops more competitive in the marketplace.
This program is a great opportunity to fund additional research, education and outreach projects to benefit specialty-crop farmers in North Carolina. Last year, the department awarded nearly $1.2 million to fund 15 projects across the state.
Nonprofit organizations, commodity groups, state and local government agencies, colleges and universities can submit applications. Grants are not available for projects that directly benefit or provide a profit to a single organization, institution or individual. The department is accepting grant requests ranging from $20,000 to $200,000.
Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, culinary herbs and spices, medicinal plants, as well as nursery, floriculture and horticulture crops. Funding is also available for projects aimed at developing local and regional food systems and improving food access.
Grant guidelines and applications are available online. For more information, contact Jeff Camden at 919-707-3111.
Click on the audio player below to listen to Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda discuss this grant program.
[Audio:http://info.ncagr.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_3-10.mp3|titles=Today’s Topic for March 10]
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