The USDA has announced funding for the 2026 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, and California is getting $28.9 million of the approximately $86.6 million awarded.

The program provides grants to state departments of agriculture to fund projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture will fund 60 projects. The Buy California Marketing Agreement was awarded $3 million to establish the Growing CA Grown Gold campaign by designing and implementing educational programs and marketing promotions to increase awareness and consumption of specialty commodities grown in the state, according to CDFA.

Other projects focus on increasing sales of specialty crops by leveraging the unique qualities of specialty crops grown in California, and increasing consumption by expanding the specialty crop consumer market, improving availability and providing nutritional education for consumers, CDFA says.

Source: Agri-Pulse