The eligible entities that can apply directly to the USDA for grant funds through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program are the agencies, commissions, or departments responsible for agriculture within the 50 States and the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
States
Alabama
Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries
Johnny Blackmon
(334) 240-7257
johnny.blackmon@agi.alabama.gov
Alaska
Alaska Division of Agriculture
Lyssa Banbury
Phone: 907-761-3853
lyssa.banbury@alaska.gov
Arizona
Arizona Department of Agriculture
Lisa James
Grants Program Coordinator
Phone: 602-542-3262
ljames@azda.gov
Arkansas
Arkansas Agriculture Department
Juan Hurtado
Phone : (501) 219-6374
juan.hurtado@agriculture.arkansas.gov
California
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Stephen Tachiera
SCBGP Manager, Office of Grants Administration
Phone: (916) 403-6525
Stephen.Tachiera@cdfa.ca.gov
Colorado
Colorado Department of Agriculture
Jennifer Benson
Phone: (303) 869-9173
jennifer.benson@state.co.us
Connecticut
Connecticut Department of Agriculture
Jaime Smith
Marketing Representative
Phone: 860-713-2559
jaime.smith@ct.gov
Delaware
Delaware Department of Agriculture
Jo-Ann Walston
Marketing Specialist
Phone: (302) 698-4523
JoAnn.Walston@state.de.us
Florida
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Josh Johnson
Grant Manager
Phone: (850) 617-7340
SpecialtyCrop@freshfromflorida.com
Georgia
Georgia Department of Agriculture
Jen Erdmann
Grants Specialist
Phone: (404)-586-1151
jen.erdmann@agr.georgia.gov
Hawaii
Hawaii Department of Agriculture
Sharon Hurd
Administrator
Phone: (808) 973-9465
sharon.k.hurd@hawaii.gov
Idaho
Idaho State Department of Agriculture
Nichole Britt
Grants/Contracts Program Specialist
Phone: (208) 332-8537
Nichole.Britt@isda.idaho.gov
Illinois
Illinois Department of Agriculture
Nicole Moore
Phone: (217) 524-9129
Nicole.Moore@illinois.gov
Indiana
Indiana State Department of Agriculture
Andrew Carty
Economic Development Director
Phone: (317) 517-7529
AnCarty@isda.IN.gov
Iowa
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Tammy Stotts
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Administrator
Phone: 515-281-7657
Email: tammy.stotts@iowaagriculture.gov
Kansas
Kansas Department of Agriculture
Peter Oppelt
Economist
Phone: (785) 564-6726
peter.oppelt@ks.gov
Kentucky
Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Victoria Lewis
Grant Program Coordinator
Phone: (502)782-4115
Email:Victoria.Lewis@ky.gov
Louisiana
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry
Michelle Estay
Director
Phone: (985) 345-9483
estay@ldaf.state.la.us
Maine
Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Leigh Hallett
Director of Market Development
Phone: (207) 287-3494
Leigh.Hallett@maine.gov
Maryland
Maryland Department of Agriculture
Karen Fedor
Senior Agricultural Marketing Specialist
Phone: (410) 841-5773
Karen.Fedor@maryland.gov
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
Keri Cornman
Grants and Procurement Manager
Phone: 617-626-1777
Email: keri.cornman@state.ma.us
Michigan
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Heather Throne
Market Development Specialist
Phone: (517) 712 – 0841
throneh@michigan.gov
Minnesota
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Ann Kuzj
Grants Administrator
Phone: 651-201-6028
ann.kuzj@state.mn.us
Mississippi
Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce
Susan Head
Grants Management and Marketing Specialist
Phone: (601) 359-1196
susan@mdac.ms.gov
Missouri
Missouri Department of Agriculture
Susan Bennett
Grant Specialist
Phone: (573) 526-9548
Susan.Bennett@mda.mo.gov
Montana
Montana Department of Agriculture
Jim Auer
Phone: (406) 444-5424
JAuer@mt.gov
Nebraska
Nebraska Department of Agriculture
Casey Foster
Ag Promotion Coordinator – Value Added
Phone: (402) 471-4876
casey.foster@nebraska.gov
Nevada
Nevada Department of Agriculture
Ashley Jeppson
Program Coordinator/Agriculturist
Phone: (775) 353-3675
ajeppson@agri.nv.gov
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food
Gail McWilliam-Jellie
Director, Division of Agricultural Development
Phone: (603) 271-3788
gail.mcwilliam.jellie@agr.nh.gov
New Jersey
New Jersey Department of Agriculture
Joe Atchison
Coordinator of Agricultural Development
Phone: (609) 984-2223
Joe.Atchison@ag.nj.gov
New Mexico
New Mexico Department of Agriculture
Felicia Frost
Marketing Specialist
Phone: (575) 646-4929
FFrost@nmda.nmsu.edu
New York
New York Department of Agriculture & Markets
Jacqueline Boyer
Agricultural Economic Development Specialist
Phone: (518) 457 6880
Jacqueline.Boyer@agriculture.ny.gov
North Carolina
North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Nick Augostini
Assistant Director
Sarah Pearce
Grant Administrator
Phone: (919) 707-3158
Sarah.Pearce@ncagr.gov
North Dakota
North Dakota Department of Agriculture
Deanna Gierszewski
701.328.2191
degierszewski@nd.gov
Ohio
Ohio Department of Agriculture
Ashley McDonald
Program Manager
Phone: 614.466.8798
Ashley.McDonald@agri.ohio.gov
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry
Jason Harvey
Agriculture Marketing Coordinator
Phone: (405) 606-1477
Jason.Harvey@ag.ok.gov
Oregon
Oregon Department of Agriculture
Gabrielle Redhead
503-986-6473
gredhead@oda.state.or.us
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Morgan Sheffield
Specialty Crop Grant Coordinator
Phone: (717) 787-3568
msheffield@pa.gov
Samantha Snyder
Specialty Crop Grant Coordinator
Phone: (717) 772-1429
samasnyder@pa.gov
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
Peter Susi
Agricultural Marketing Specialist
Phone: (401) 222-2781
peter.susi@dem.ri.gov
South Carolina
South Carolina Department of Agriculture
Betsy Dorton
Grants Coordinator
Phone: (803) 734-0467
bdorton@scda.sc.gov
South Dakota
South Dakota Department of Agriculture
Nicole Prince
Phone: 605-773-6690
Nicole.prince@state.sd.us
Tennessee
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Debbie Ball
Marketing Director
Phone: (615) 837-5194
Debbie.Ball@tn.gov
Texas
Texas Department of Agriculture
Kat Neilson
Grants Coordinator
Phone: (512) 463-6695
grants@texasagriculture.gov
Utah
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
Miriam Anderson
Phone: (801) 538-6025
manderson@utah.gov
Vermont
Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
Gina Clithero
Agriculture Development Specialist
Phone: (802) 585-6225
gina.clithero@vermont.gov
Virginia
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Melissa Ball
Special Projects Manager
Phone: (804) 786-5448
melissa.ball@vdacs.virginia.gov
Washington
Washington State Department of Agriculture
Leisa Schumaker
Grant Administrator
Phone: (360) 902-2091
lschumaker@agr.wa.gov
Tricia Bertsch
Grant Agreement Manager
Phone: (360) 902-2177
pbertsch@agr.wa.gov
Lindsey Erickson
Grant Assistant
Phone: (360) 902-1949
lerickson@agr.wa.gov
West Virginia
West Virginia Department of Agriculture
Leslie Boggess
Assistant Director of Programs
Phone: 304-558-2210
lboggess@wvda.us
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Juli Speck
Grants Coordinator
Phone: (608) 224-5134
juli.speck@wi.gov
Wyoming
Wyoming Department of Agriculture
Ted Craig
Agriculture Program Coordinator
Phone: (307) 777-6651
ted.craig@wyo.gov
Territory & District Contacts
American Samoa
American Samoa Department of Agriculture
Sala Samuelu
Director
Phone: (684) 699-9272
mactheman99@yahoo.com
District of Columbia
District of Columbia Agriculture Experiment Station
Dr. Mamatha Hanumappa
Project Specialist, Ethnic and Specialty Crops
Phone: (202) 274-5499
mamatha.hanumappa@udc.edu
Guam
Guam Department of Agriculture
John Borja
Division Chief
Phone: (671) 300-7973
borjajohn@hotmail.com or john.borja@doag.guam.gov
Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands Division of Agriculture
Jack Ogumoro
Phone: (670) 287-9482
jtogumoro@gmail.com
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture
Maria Del Mar Aponte Perez
Phone: (787) 723-9090 ext. 2419
maponte@agricultura.pr.gov
U.S. Virgin Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture
Billy Abraham
Director of Marketing Services
Phone: (340) 778-0997 ext. 256
Billy.abraham@doa.vi.gov