Specialty Crop Research Initiative

Post Date

March 17th 2014

Application Due Date

June 20th 2014

1. Letters of Intent for Research and Extension Planning Grant applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on April 11, 2014. See Section IV, A. for a description of the requirements for the contents of a letter of intent and submitting i

Funding Opportunity Number

USDA-NIFA-SCRI-004509

CFDA Number(s)

10.309

Funding Instrument Type(s)

Grant

Funding Activity Categories

Agriculture
Employment, Labor and Training
Environment
Food and Nutrition
Health
Natural Resources
Science and Technology and other Research and Development

Eligibility Categories

Other

For the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), applications may be submitted by Federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, Cooperative Extension Services, individuals, or groups consisting of two or more of these entities.

Funding

• Estimated Total Funding:

  $76800000

• Award Range:

  $50000 - $10000000

Grant Description

The purpose of the 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; and methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production efficiency, handling and processing of specialty crops.

Contact Information

• Agency

  Department of Agriculture

• Office:

  National Institute of Food and Agriculture

• Agency Contact:

  NIFA Help Desk
  Phone: 202-401-5048
  Business hours are M-F, 7:00 am -5:00 pm ET, excluding Federal holidays
  

• Agency Mailing Address:

  If you have any questions related to preparing application content

• Agency Email Address:

  electronic@nifa.usda.gov

• More Information:

  Specialty Crop Research Initiative