PUEBLO — The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs announced grant funding at the Colorado State Fair Thursday.
The USDA Under Secretary, Jenny Lester Moffitt, announced the $82.3 million was awarded through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) and the Specialty Crop Multi-State Grant Program (SCMP).
From 2020 to 2024, the USDA says they've awarded $5.2 million to the Colorado Department of Agriculture to fund 86 projects through the SCBGP.
The SCBGP and the SCMP support farmers who grow specialty crops, including the following:
- fruits
- vegetables
- tree nuts
- nursery crops
The USDA says theses programs expand markets and increase access of specialty crops for consumers. They say the funding will strengthen specialty crop production to ensure Americans have access to fresh, locally grown specialty crops.
Click here to learn more about the SCBGP. To learn more about the SCMP, visit the USDA's website.
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