The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) is still accepting applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP), which is a competitive grant program in which funding from the United States Department of Agriculture is awarded to eligible applicants to support Utah’s specialty crop industry. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture — including nursery crops, and more. For a complete list of eligible specialty crops, click HERE.

This grant is open to producers, schools, trade associations, non-profits, farmers markets, farming and ranching co-ops, etc., headquartered in Utah. Potential projects may include a broad range of focus, such as improving marketing, research, training, certifications, food safety, pest control, plant health, and beyond for specialty crops. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to enhance the competitiveness of Utah-grown specialty crops and benefit more than one producer or organization.

Applicants will apply through the Submittable platform using the link below and must have a Unique Entity Identifier to submit their application. Unique Entity Identifiers (UEI) can be acquired free-of-charge from the federal government at SAM.gov. This process can take some time, so applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the process quickly and not to wait until the last week, as it is unlikely the UEI will be assigned in time. A guide to getting a UEI is in the Helpful Links and Documents section. Please read all the 2026 Specialty Crop Block Grant information below before applying.

UDAF is anticipating receiving between $300,000 and $350,000 to have available to be awarded. Individual project requests may not exceed $100,000, but there is no minimum request.

Applications will be accepted until Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 11:59pm. For more information, including timelines and rating criteria, visit ag.utah.gov/specialty-crop-block-grant-program.