Specialty Crop Research Initiative

Background
The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) program, administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), aims to address critical needs within the specialty crop industry. The initiative supports research and extension activities that tackle key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining food and agriculture systems, including both conventional and organic production.

The SCRI program is designed to promote collaboration and the integration of scientific discovery with practical applications to enhance the sustainability of specialty crops.

Grant Details
The SCRI program focuses on five legislatively mandated areas:

1) Research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods to improve crop characteristics;
2) Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases;
3) Improvements in production efficiency, handling, processing, productivity, and profitability;
4) Innovations in technology including mechanization;
5) Methods for food safety hazard prevention, detection, monitoring, control, and response.

Projects must integrate research and extension activities using systems-based approaches. The program encourages stakeholder engagement in identifying priorities for research.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include Federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions or organizations, private organizations or corporations, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, individuals or groups consisting of two or more of these entities. NIFA encourages applications from diverse communities.

Period of Performance
Projects can have a duration of up to five years depending on the project type selected. Specific project types include Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAPs), Standard Research and Extension Projects (SREPs), and Research and Extension Planning Projects.

Grant Value
The anticipated available funding for FY 2025 is approximately $75,440,000. CAPs can receive up to $2 million per year with historical median awards around $5.5 million. SREPs can receive up to $1 million per year with historical median awards around $2.6 million.

Place of Performance
The grant activities are expected to be conducted across various states as projects may involve multi-state collaborations addressing the needs of specialty crops.