USDA awards millions in specialty crop grants across US states

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced significant grant funding to support the specialty crop industry through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. In one announcement, $86.6 million is being awarded to support various projects, including specific citrus-focused initiatives in Arizona, California, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.

In California, the University of California, Riverside is receiving multiple grants to combat citrus diseases like HLB, develop AI-based surveillance for unregulated plant sales, and optimize pest management tools. Other projects aim to improve nursery production efficiency through biochar and nutrient amendments. In Arizona, the University of Arizona Yuma Agricultural Center will use funding to deploy real-time flux tower systems to improve irrigation decision-making in citrus and date palm orchards.

Additionally, the Montana Department of Agriculture and the USDA have partnered to invest $2.9 million into 13 projects within Montana. These projects, which include research at Montana State University, focus on enhancing the competitiveness of specialty crops such as winter peas, dry peas, and chickpeas to create new market opportunities for state producers.