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Specialty Crop Research Initiative

The purpose of the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas:

  • Research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods to improve crop characteristics
  • Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators
  • Efforts to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity, and profitability over the long term (including specialty crop policy and marketing)
  • New innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening
  • Methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production efficiency, handling and processing of specialty crops
     

The technical assistance webinar related to this FY 2025 funding opportunity will be scheduled soon. Please visit again for more information.

Dates may vary. Please see RFA for exact details.
Reasonable Accommodation

If you need a reasonable accommodation to access information related to this grant opportunity, please contact the Information Contact listed on this page no later than ten (10) days before the closing date.  If you need a reasonable accommodation for the webinar or event related to this grant opportunity, please contact the event host.

Language Access Services

NIFA offers language access services, such as interpretation and translation of vital information, free of charge. If you need interpretation or translation services, please visit NIFA Language Access Services and request service no later than ten (10) days before the closing date.

More Information on Eligibility

Pre-applications may only be submitted by Federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations, foundations, or corporations, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, Cooperative Extension Services, individuals, or groups consisting of two or more of these entities.

Posted Date
For more Information Contact
Closing Date
Contact for Electronic Access Problems
Funding Opportunity Number
USDA-NIFA-SCRI-010974
Assistance Listing Number
10.309
Estimated Total Program Funding
$75,440,000
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement
Please see detailed information in the RFA.
Range of Awards
$50,000 - $2,000,000
Percent of Applications Funded
15%
Previous Fiscal Year RFA

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