More than $500,000 in funding is now available to New Mexico producers through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The program, which is administered by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA), aims to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops.
Eligible applicants for this funding include producer groups, non-profit organizations, trade associations and universities. Projects must focus on areas like marketing, training, certification, food safety, pest control or plant health that broadly benefit specialty crops. Funding cannot be used for projects that solely benefit a single organization or individual.
To help potential applicants prepare for the February 14, 2026 proposal deadline, NMDA will host three virtual outreach workshops in December. These workshops are intended to guide participants through the application process and provide necessary information about project eligibility and requirements.
New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte stated: “I encourage anyone eligible to apply for this grant to take advantage of the free workshops we are offering. Our team is ready to help guide applicants through the process so no one in New Mexico’s agriculture community misses out on this opportunity.”
Applications must be submitted to NMDA by Saturday, February 14, 2026. A panel consisting of experts and NMDA staff will review all submissions before awarding grants.
