Specialty Crop Multi-State Program

Fiscal Year 2023 Instructions for Participating States

Deadline to inform AMS if the State will participate in the 2023 SCMP: June 30, 2023.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents................................................................................................................................. 2

1.0 Legislative Authority and Purpose ............................................................................................ 3

2.0 Definitions................................................................................................................................ 3

2.1 Participating State......................................................................................................................... 3

2.2 Nonparticipating State.................................................................................................................. 3

3.0 Commitment to Participate ...................................................................................................... 3

4.0 Pre-Award Requirements for Participating States..................................................................... 4

4.1 Developing Applicationss.............................................................................................................. 4

4.2 Screening Applicationss................................................................................................................ 5

5.0 Post-Award Requirements for Participating States.................................................................... 5

6.0 Deadlines ................................................................................................................................. 5

7.0 Agency Contacts....................................................................................................................... 6

7.1 Programmatic Questions .............................................................................................................. 6

7.2 Address.......................................................................................................................................... 6
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1.0 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE

Legislative authority for the Specialty Crop Multi-state Program (SCMP) is provided under section 101 of 

the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note), as amended under section 10107

of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Public L. No. 115—343 (the Farm Bill).

SCMP competitively awards funds to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through 

collaborative, multi-state projects that address regional or national level specialty crop issues of: 

• Food safety

• Plant pests and disease

• Research

• Crop-specific projects addressing common issues

• Marketing and promotion

2.0 DEFINITIONS

2.1 PARTICIPATING STATE

State departments of agriculture that elect to submit applications to the Agricultural Marketing Service 

(AMS) on behalf of interested entities as well as oversee the administration of awarded agreements.

Note: AMS recognizes that some States may not have the resources for SCMP administration or have 

additional restrictions or requirements related to project costs, administration, or activities.

Participating States may use Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) administrative funds to offset 

costs related to SCMP pre- and post-award activities.

2.2 NONPARTICIPATING STATE

State departments of agriculture that do not elect to submit applications to AMS on behalf of interested 

entities and will not oversee the administration of awarded agreements.

3.0 COMMITMENT TO PARTICIPATE

The commitment to elect to be designated a Participating State is made on a year-by-year basis. Current

participating States that may participate again or elect not to participate. Participating States awarded 

one or more grants from a previous funding announcement will continue to function as Participating 

States for active projects even if they elect not to participate in the 2023 program.

AMS expects that once a State commits to participate, it will not abandon its duties except with justified

reason or under unusual circumstances.

Core responsibilities of the Participating State include:

• Accepting applications from multi-state partners, even if the multi-state partners are not located 

in the same State as the Participating State;

• Conduct initial qualification screening of applications to ensure they meet all requirements 

outlined in the 2023 SCMP Request for Applications (RFA); 
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• Submitting screened applications via Grants.gov by the RFA’s deadline; and

• Assuming administrative responsibility for any application it submits that is selected for funding.

4.0 PRE-AWARD REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATING STATES

(1) Provide AMS a point of contact (POC) who will handle inquiries from the public about the SCMP.

a. A list of Participating States and their POCs will be posted to the AMS SCMP Participating States

webpage. Until then, inquiries from potential applicants may be forwarded to AMS SCMP.

b. Once the list of Participating States and their POCs is posted to the AMS SCMP website, AMS will 

direct applicants with inquiries about the SCMP to the applicable Participating State contact.

(2) Refer all stakeholders interested in applying for a SCMP grant to the SCMP webpage..

a. Inform all interested stakeholders/potential applicants that the RFA provides the complete 

information needed to prepare an application.

b. A Participating State may elect to advise, consult, and provide feedback on applications to 

applicants to assist interested multi-state partners in developing mutually beneficial 

applications, but this is not a requirement. However, if a Participating State elects to provide 

such service to one, it must assist all potential applicants who request such assistance and 

feedback. 

(3) Participating States that have questions about whether or not an application fits within the scope of 

the SCMP should contact the AMS contact listed at sagpgrants@usda.gov. AMS will share any new 

information resulting from such inquiries with the Participating States.

(4) Participate in teleconference and/or webinar training sessions held by AMS.

(5) Follow AMS protocols for accepting and screening SCMP applications to ensure the applications

meet both the definition of a multi-state project and the requirements outlined in the RFA.

(6) Submit screened applications via Grants.gov by the deadline established by AMS.

(7) If awarded, complete an in-depth review of the project budget to ensure all cost items are 

allowable, allocable, and reasonable. As necessary, negotiate with the multi-state partners if there 

are any budget items that do not meet those requirements. Provide AMS with a final project budget

upon completion of the negotiations.

(8) If awarded, perform a risk assessment of the multi-state partners who will receive federal funds 

when carrying out the project, prior to executing the grant agreement award, to determine 

monitoring strategies for the project.

4.1 DEVELOPING APPLICATIONSS

Participating and nonparticipating States that intend to have a substantive role in a project may develop 

their own applications. In such cases, the State must recruit at least one partner who is located in 

different State and who will have a substantive role in the project. Participating States are encouraged 
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to use their experience, knowledge, and resources to help find partners for applications they do not 

develop themselves, but this is not a requirement.

A Participating State that develops its own applications will submit the applications directly to AMS 

along with other applications it has received that meet the RFA requirements.

4.2 SCREENING APPLICATIONSS

Participating States need to use judgment in screening applications for compliance with the RFA 

requirements. If there is a missing application component, please request that the multi-state partners 

provide it before submitting the application to AMS. When evaluating applications to determine 

alignment with SCMP and its requirements, Participating States must ensure that the applications:

(1) Materially adheres to the requirements of the RFA;

(2) Fits into at least one of the RFA’s project area types; 

(3) Meets the RFA’s definition of a multi-state project;( (multi-state projects must address regional or 

national level specialty crop issues: food safety; plant pests and disease; research; crop-specific 

projects addressing common issues; and marketing and promotion.)

(4) Differs from and/or supplements but does not duplicate projects currently or previously funded by 

the SCBGP or another Federal award program; and

(5) Does not name any partner with current performance and compliance violations relating to a

SCBGP-funded project. 

Applications that are materially compliant may be submitted. All deadlines are provided in the 2023

SCMP RFA. Applications that are submitted to AMS late or that do not materially comply with the 

requirements of the RFA will not be considered in the AMS competitive review. You may reference the 

AMS Policy Regarding Late and non-Responsive Applications for more information.

5.0 POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATING STATES

(1) As necessary to carry out the project, use sub agreements or subcontracts which comply with 2 CFR 

§ 200. The awarded Participating State must maintain control of the project objectives, set policies, 

and ensure that the project is carried out in accordance with all applicable Federal statutes and 

regulations as well as with the AMS agreement’ award terms and conditions.

(2) Adhere to the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) 2 CFR § 170.320.

(3) Adhere to the AMS agreement award terms and conditions including reporting and financial 

accountability requirements, all administrative functions, and proper close out.

6.0 DEADLINES

State departments of agriculture must notify the AMS contact listed at sagpgrants@usda.gov no later 

than June 30, 2023, if they would like to be designated a Participating State for 2023.

The deadline for multi-state partner applicants to apply to Participating States will be announced in the 

2023 SCMP RFA.
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The deadline for Participating States to apply to AMS via Grants.gov will be announced in the RFA.

7.0 AGENCY CONTACTS

7.1 PROGRAMMATIC QUESTIONS 

For questions, please contact the SCMP staff by e-mail about the grant program at 

sagpgrants@usda.gov. 

7.2 ADDRESS

Specialty Crop Multi-State Program

USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service

1400 Independence Avenue SW 

Room 2055 South Building 

Stop 0201

Washington, DC 20250-0269