Missouri Department of Agriculture awarding grants

The Missouri Department of Agriculture is now accepting proposals through a specialty crop grant program.

The ministry will consider grants up to a maximum of $50,000 for a specific project with a grant period of two years and a limit of $10,000 in total for personnel and benefits. Interested persons have until March 8 to apply.

Specialty crops are defined as fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, honey, horticulture and nursery crops, such as floriculture, according to a USDA press release. This grant aims to help expand markets locally, regionally and internationally while developing distribution channels for specialty crops. It also helps with education, research, marketing, promotion, food safety strategies, and crop-specific solutions for pests and diseases.

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These grants provide financial assistance to farmers who grow their businesses through innovation and farming, said Chris Chinn, Director of Agriculture.

“Our team continues to look for ways to support all agricultural producers in Missouri as they target business development opportunities, which includes increasing the production, processing and distribution of Missouri specialty crops” , Chinn said via a press release.

Proposals for the upcoming fiscal year must be submitted by 3 p.m. on March 8. They will be evaluated and the selected projects will become part of the Missouri state plan that the USDA will review.

The application form and additional details are available online at Agriculture.Mo.Gov.

Sara Karnes is an outdoor reporter with the Springfield News-Leader. Do you have a story to tell? Email him at [email protected].