Illinois’ specialty crop producers eligible for grants.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture awarding more than a quarter-million dollars a year over the next three years in Specialty Crop Block grants from stimulus funding. 

IDOA Director Jerry Costello II says that the total $783,000 in funding should reward the specialty crop producers in the state. 

Illinois is the number one producer of pumpkins and horseradish in the U.S. and a top-ten producer of asparagus, cauliflower, fresh-cut herbs, peas, mustard greens and lima beans. 

Grant proposal packets and additional information can be found on the department’s website. Applications are due by 4 p.m. Nov. 29th. 

There are more than 3,200 eligible producers devoting more than 90,000 acres of Illinois farmland to specialty crops production. In a normal year, this creates nearly $472 million in annual sales for Illinois farmers.