The AMS Grants Division is pleased to announce that the Agency has posted the FY2021 Specialty Crop Block Grant Request for Applications (RFA). This year, as part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance initiative, AMS is offering $169.9 million to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. The funding consists of $72.9 million in annual 2018 Farm Bill funding that must be obligated by the end of the Federal fiscal year, and $97 million from HR 133, The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (H.R. 133 Stimulus funds), available until expended. Eligible applicants are the 50 State departments of agriculture, D.C. and five U.S. territories, and each state or territory administers its own subrecipient competition. Specialty crops are fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture). Nicole Nelson-Miller, Deputy Director of the AMS Grants Division says, “the Specialty Crops Block Grant Program is one of our flagship AMS Grant Programs, and with Congress’ help this year these funds will have an even greater impact on the specialty crops industry, especially as COVID-19 continues to influence business, personnel, and supply chains.”

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The USDA Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (FVIAC) convened on April 6, 2021 to begin examining a full spectrum of fruit and vegetable industry issues. The virtual meeting kicked off with joint opening remarks from Bruce Summers, Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), and Mae Wu, the Deputy Under Secretary of the Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP). From a policy perspective, the USDA intends to “help the faltering rural economy and climate crisis by putting rural America at the heart of solutions for climate change so we can prioritize economic development and growth in rural America…” Ms. Wu said.  AMS Administrator Bruce Summers,  expressed appreciation to FVIAC representatives for their volunteering to serve on the committee, and went on to explain ways the AMS helped support the industry through the pandemic which includes, but is not limited to, the launch of the free USDA PACA mobile app and improvements to food safety verification programs. FVIAC recommendations are submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture. (For the full article, please click here.)

In response to Executive Order 14017, America’s Supply Chains, signed by President Biden on Feb. 24, 2021, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is seeking public comments to support the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s effort to improve and reimagine the supply chains for the production, processing and distribution of agricultural commodities and food products. The request for comments is published in the Federal Register and the comment period will close on May 21, 2021.

The comments received will help USDA to write a report to the President that assesses the critical factors, risks, and strategies needed to support resilient, diverse, and secure supply chains and ensure U.S. economic prosperity, national security, and nutrition security for all Americans. This report will also inform USDA thinking regarding how stimulus relief programs and spending related to food supply chain resilience can help to increase durability and resilience within the U.S. food supply. Identifying food system supply chain-bottlenecks and vulnerabilities will also provide valuable insights into the competitive and fair markets landscape, effects on local and regional producers and processors, and needs of diverse communities and actions that can be taken to ensure equitable access to food and economic opportunity across these communities.

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