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Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)

The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) provides up to $80 million per year to support integrated research and extension projects that use novel approaches to address the most critical challenges faced by the US specialty crop industry.

SCRI Project Characteristics

SCRI projects must integrate key stakeholders throughout the life of the project, from the development of the concept through the project implementation and dissemination of the findings.

SCRI projects must be transdisciplinary, intentionally integrating knowledge from different disciplines (such as biology, social sciences, economics, etc.) with relevant stakeholders and community members to address societal challenges. The development of transdisciplinary approaches engages these diverse teams from the onset of project conceptualization. Learn more about transdisciplinary approaches here.

SCRI projects must use a systems approach. A systems approach is any process of estimating or inferring how local policies, actions, or changes influence the state of the neighboring universe. It is a framework that is based on the belief that the component parts of a system can best be understood in the context of relationships with each other and with other systems, rather than in isolation. The only way to fully understand why a problem or element occurs and persists is to understand the part in relation to the whole.

Legislative Focus Area Priorities

  1. Research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics and other methods to improve crop characteristics. Projects that seek to create improved cultivars through the use of biotechnology must demonstrate an understanding of the regulatory requirements involved in their release and must also present a plan for addressing the regulatory issues.
  2. Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators.
  3. Efforts to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity and profitability over the long term (including specialty crop policy and marketing).
  4. New innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening.
  5. Methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production efficiency, handling and processing of specialty crops, including fresh produce.

Project Types

The SCRI offers the following three project types. These project types are described in more detail in the RFA. Applicants should decide which project type is best suited to the objectives of their research and extension project and develop a budget that fits the objectives.

  1. Standard Research and Extension Projects (SREPs)
  2. Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAPs)
  3. Research and Extension Planning Projects

Application Process with Relevance Review - How It Works

The SCRI application review is now a two-stage process:

  1. Stakeholder Relevance Review

    Applicants submit a Stakeholder Relevance Statement (SRS) and other supporting documents as detailed in the Pre-Application RFA. The SRS is reviewed by Stakeholder Relevance Review panels, composed of specialty crop industry representatives. To the degree possible, crop types are grouped and considered by industry representatives familiar with that crop. The Stakeholder Relevance Review panels evaluate SRS based on criteria listed in the Pre-Application RFA, which are focused on stakeholder engagement and relevance of the project to the industry. The panels decide whether applicants will be invited to submit a full project proposal or not.

    Volunteer to be an Industry Relevance Reviewer.

  2. Scientific Merit Review

    Applicants who are invited to submit a full application are sent a targeted RFA with information and directions for full applications is included. Those full applications are reviewed by a Scientific Merit Review panel, composed of academic, government, and industry scientists. The Scientific Merit Review panel evaluates the full application based on criteria listed in the RFA, which are focused on the scientific processes used by the project team. 

The final ranking of proposals incorporates results from both the relevance and the scientific merit reviews.

What has been Funded in the Past?

View a searchable list of projects funded through SCRI and links to their report


Highlights of Project Websites

Lead InstitutionProject Title/topicWebsite
Clemson UniversityGuava Root Knot Nematode (Meloiddogyne enterolobii).  Information and tools to assist growers with preventing and managing issues with this pest.https://www.findmenematode.org
Penn State UniversityDeveloping IPM systems for Pseudomonas syringae issues in cucurbits and chenopods (melons, squash, beets, chard).https://www.pseudosonseed.org/
Washington State University"Stop the Rot" Developing strategies for detection and management of bacterial diseases in onions.  Note extension videos under "Resources" tab.https://alliumnet.com/stop-the-rot/
Michigan State UniversityMulti-state research and extension team working to develop modern pollination decision tools to help blueberry growers optimize pollination of their fields.https://blueberrypollination.org
University of Georgia"LAMP" = Lighting Approaches to Maximize Profits.  Project aims to provide strategies for efficiency with lighting in controlled growing environments.https://www.hortlamp.uga.edu
Washington State UniversityFRAME: Fungicide Resistance Assessment, Mitigation and Extension Network for Wine, Table, and Raisin Grapeshttps://framenetworks.wsu.edu/
Michigan State UniversityOptimizing indoor agriculture
for leafy green production.
https://www.scri-optimia.org.
Washington State UniversityHigh Resolution Vineyard Nutritionhttps://highresvineyardnutrition.com
Penn State University"Stop Spotted Lanternfly"  Biology, ecology, and management of spotted lanternfly in US specialty crops.https://www.stopslf.org/
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityManagement of boxwood blight.https://www.boxwoodhealth.org/
University of FloridaProduce food safety risk management.https://contactproducesafety.ifas.ufl.edu/about-contact/
Texas A&M UniversityTools for genomics-assisted breeding in polyploids (fruits, vegetables, ornamentals).https://www.polyploids.org/welcome
Michigan State UniversityCuc CAP2: Harnessing genomic resources for disease resistance and management in Cucurbit crops - bringing the tools to the fieldhttps://cuccap.org/
North Carolina State UniversityDeveloping drought tolerant turf grass and alternate irrigation methodshttps://site.caes.uga.edu/scriturf/
Cornell UniversityTools for apple crop load managementhttps://pacman.extension.org
North Carolina State UniversityVacciniumCAP: genetic and genomic work to improve blueberry and cranberry.  See Genome Database at www.vaccinium.org/https://www.vacciniumcap.org/
Clemson UniversityArmillaria root rot - stone fruitshttps://blogs.clemson.edu/arrsolutions/
Michigan State UniversityIntegrated Crop Pollination Projecthttps://icpbees.org
Program type
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Page last updated: February 12, 2025

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