The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has extended the deadline for proposals for the 2026 Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP) to Oct. 16, 2026, at 1:59 p.m. PT.

The SCMP is a federal grant program administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service that supports collaborative, multi-state projects designed to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. Eligible projects may address issues including food safety, plant pests and diseases, research, crop-specific challenges and marketing and promotion.

Grant awards range from $250,000 to $1 million per project, with projects lasting up to three years. Eligible applicants include specialty crop producer associations and groups, state agencies, Tribal governments, universities, nonprofits and other stakeholder organizations.

Proposals must include at least two partners with substantive involvement in the project, with the partners located in two different states.

Proposals must be submitted electronically to [email protected] by the October 16 deadline.

For more information, including proposal templates, webinar information and application requirements, visit the CDFA Specialty Crop Multi-State Program website. Applicants are also encouraged to review the 2026 SCMP Notice of Funding Opportunity.