The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) will fund six projects to expand markets, improve growing practices, and strengthen workforce training for Maine’s specialty crop industry through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP), awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“Maine farmers bring ingenuity and commitment to their work every day,” said DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal. “These investments support that work by helping growers improve their soils, reach new customers, and prepare the next generation for careers in agriculture. The benefits extend beyond individual farms to the communities and local economies they sustain.”

The SCBGP is intended to support projects that strengthen Maine’s specialty crop sector, expand opportunities for Maine producers, and contribute to a more resilient and competitive food system. The fiscal year 2026 funding comes through USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, maple syrup, flowers, and nursery crops, products that are an important part of Maine’s agricultural economy.

The projects will help recipients cultivate heritage apples and pears, expand the “Plant Something Maine!” marketing campaign, provide hands-on greenhouse training, and connect agricultural educators and students with producers. Funded projects must enhance the competitiveness of Maine specialty crops and may not benefit a single farm, business, or entity and must benefit multiple in-state specialty crop producers and the state’s overall specialty crop sector.

“We have incredible farms and farmers in Maine, and these grants help build new markets for those producers,” said Bureau of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources Director Craig Lapine. “SCBGP supports local and regional projects to help farmers and producers become more competitive now and in the future.”

The six project awards total $466,517.

• Cultivating Community: $97,276
  Expanding Specialty Cooking Green Production, Processing, Training, and Sales to Meet Increasing Maine Market Demand.
• Maine Food and Beverage Education Center: $96,881
  Maine Specialty Crops for Every Generation: Education from Classroom to Community.
• Maine Landscape and Garden Association: $100,000
  Plant Something Maine! Grow More Give More Food Campaign.
• Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association: $51,965
  Orcharding Education: Growing Our Heritage Varieties for the Future and Feeding Our Communities.
• University of Maine System: $40,993
  Strengthening Maine’s Specialty Crop Industry and Workforce Capacity through Engaging Outreach on Modern Greenhouse Practices.
• Windsor Fair Agricultural Education: $79,402
  Growing Maine’s Specialty Crop Workforce through Supervised Agricultural Experiences.

“These awards create important opportunities for Maine farmers through specialty crop marketing, research, education, and innovation,” said Michelle Webb, DACF’s Agricultural Resource Development Director and Maine Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Coordinator. “It is exciting to see the collaboration and innovation that these projects represent across the state.”

DACF selects projects through a competitive statewide application process and submits them to USDA for review and approval. Since 2002, the program has supported Maine projects focused on agricultural research, pest management, education, food safety, and market development.

Learn more about current and past SCBGP projects on DACF’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program webpage.