The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is federal money, but you never apply to USDA for it. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service gives each state department of agriculture a block of funding (only state departments of agriculture can apply to AMS), and each state runs its own competition for projects that help fruit, vegetable, tree nut, nursery and other specialty crop growers.
That means your deadline depends on your state, and they are spread across the whole year. Below is every state’s due date from the last round, plus the 2027 calls we found.
Who can apply
Each state writes its own rules. Arkansas, for example, lists “universities, institutions, cooperatives, producers, industry groups, community-based organizations, and individuals” as eligible. Other states draw the line differently, so read your state’s request for proposals before you write anything.
Projects have to benefit specialty crops broadly. If your idea mostly helps your own farm’s bottom line, a program like the Value-Added Producer Grant may fit better. Our specialty crop block grant overview explains the program itself.
2027 calls we found (checked fall 2026)
- Washington: due date for 2027 concept proposals, November 2, 2026, 12:00 p.m. Pacific. (Washington moved this from October 30.)
- Maine: due date for 2027 Phase I applications, October 30, 2026, noon Eastern.
- California: 2027 concept proposals were due September 21, 2026 (closed).
- Minnesota: the state said it expected to take 2027 applications in December 2026 or January 2027.
- Colorado: the state said applications for 2028 to 2029 projects will open in January 2027.
- Georgia: the state said to check back on or around February 1, 2027, for the 2027 request for applications.
Every state’s last due date (fiscal 2026 round)
These are the application due dates (and concept paper dates, where a state used them) from USDA’s list of fiscal 2026 state requests for proposals. Use them as a guide to when your state’s call came out last time, then check your state department of agriculture’s page for this year’s.
| State | FY2026 due date |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Mar. 26, 2026 |
| Alaska | May 20, 2026 |
| Arizona | Mar. 6, 2026 |
| Arkansas | May 8, 2026 |
| California | Concept Sept. 11, 2025; application Jan. 1, 2026 |
| Colorado | Concept Feb. 13, 2026; application Apr. 17, 2026 |
| Connecticut | Mar. 16, 2026 |
| Delaware | May 18, 2026 |
| Florida | Jan. 30, 2026 |
| Georgia | Feb. 27, 2026 |
| Hawaii | June 8, 2026 |
| Idaho | Mar. 8, 2026 |
| Illinois | June 5, 2026 |
| Indiana | May 13, 2026 |
| Iowa | Mar. 6, 2026 |
| Kansas | Apr. 17, 2026 |
| Kentucky | May 11, 2026 |
| Louisiana | Apr. 30, 2026 |
| Maine | Dec. 19, 2025 |
| Maryland | Mar. 23, 2026 |
| Massachusetts | Apr. 3, 2026 |
| Michigan | Feb. 5, 2026 |
| Minnesota | Feb. 11, 2026 |
| Mississippi | Apr. 1, 2026 |
| Missouri | May 28, 2026 |
| Montana | Feb. 27, 2026 |
| Nebraska | Concept Jan. 31, 2026; application Mar. 31, 2026 |
| Nevada | Mar. 31, 2026 |
| New Hampshire | May 15, 2026 |
| New Jersey | May 14, 2026 |
| New Mexico | Feb. 14, 2026 |
| New York | Feb. 16, 2026 |
| North Carolina | Concept Jan. 28, 2026; application Mar. 10, 2026 |
| North Dakota | Jan. 12, 2026 |
| Ohio | May 1, 2026 |
| Oklahoma | Feb. 27, 2026 |
| Oregon | Jan. 30, 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | Dec. 19, 2025 |
| Rhode Island | Feb. 28, 2026 |
| South Carolina | Feb. 13, 2026 |
| South Dakota | Mar. 22, 2026 |
| Tennessee | May 15, 2026 |
| Texas | Jan. 22, 2026 |
| Utah | Mar. 8, 2026 |
| Vermont | Mar. 30, 2026 |
| Virginia | Feb. 6, 2026 |
| Washington | Concept Oct. 15, 2025; application Feb. 5, 2026 |
| West Virginia | Jan. 30, 2026 |
| Wisconsin | Mar. 3, 2026 |
| Wyoming | Mar. 9, 2026 |
How to get ready
- Find your state’s page on its department of agriculture site and sign up for its notices, so you see the call the day it posts.
- Line up partners early if your project needs them, such as a grower group, university or extension office.
- Read last year’s request for proposals as a preview of what your state asks for. States change details, so follow this year’s call when it posts.
- Plan around the concept stage. Some states (California, Colorado, Nebraska, North Carolina and Washington in the fiscal 2026 round) asked for a short concept paper before the full application.
Frequently asked questions
Can individual farmers apply for a Specialty Crop Block Grant? It depends on the state. Arkansas lists individuals among eligible applicants; other states limit who can apply. Check your state’s request for proposals.
When is the Specialty Crop Block Grant deadline? Each state sets its own. For 2027 calls, Maine set October 30, 2026 and Washington set November 2, 2026. Most states’ last round came due between December 2025 and June 2026, as listed above.
Do I apply to USDA? No. Only state departments of agriculture apply to USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. You apply to your state.
What counts as a specialty crop? Arkansas’s grant page sums up USDA’s definition as “fruits, vegetables, horticulture, floriculture, and tree nuts.” Check your state’s request for proposals for its exact list.
The bottom line
Specialty crop block grant money is decided state by state, on fifty different calendars. Find your state’s page, sign up for its notices, and use last year’s due date to plan when to have your project idea and partners ready.
Want to see every program open in your state? Check your state page or run our free eligibility checker.
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