The National Black Farmers Association is accepting applications for the Next Generation Black and Hispanic Farmers Scholarship Program. The award includes tuition for up to 30 credit hours per academic year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with housing, meal plan, and textbook stipend. Applicants must be Black, African American, or Hispanic high school student farmers with a verifiable family farm operation and commit to farming on the family farm upon college graduation. The Scholarship Selection Committee will select up to 25 scholarship recipients based on academic performance; demonstrated leadership and participation in agricultural activities, school organizations, community activities; and a personal narrative detailing career and educational goals and objectives. Applications are due by June 15, 2021.

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service is seeking Conservation Innovation Grant proposals focused on research, demonstrations, outreach and educational initiatives to advance adoption of soil health management practices in Virginia. Projects should reflect a clear understanding of and alignment with state soil health issues and ultimately lead to greater implementation of one or more of these soil health principles: keep soil covered, minimize soil disturbance, maximize living roots and energize with diversity. Preferred projects will focus on agronomic assessment of soil health/dynamic soil properties, integrated conservation agronomy (systems-level assimilation of soil health with one or more conservation-related disciplines) or both. Grants will be awarded for projects between one and three years' duration with a maximum single award of $300,000. Proposals are due by June 18, 2021.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking proposals for On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials that feature collaboration between NRCS and partners to implement on-the-ground conservation activities and then evaluate their impact. Incentive payments are provided to producers to offset the risk of implementing innovative approaches. NRCS is seeking proposals that address at least one of the following four On-Farm Trial priorities: climate-smart agricultural solutions, soil health demonstration trial, irrigation water management, or management technologies and strategies. NRCS will invest up to $25 million on On-Farm Trials in 2021. This total includes up to $10 million for the Soil Health Demonstration Trials priority. Proposals are due by June 21, 2021.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) funding available to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Applications are accepted from eligible entities for projects carried out in the state of South Dakota. A total of up to $150,000 is available for the South Dakota CIG competition in FY 2021. All non-federal entities and individuals are invited to apply. Projects may be between one and three years in duration. The maximum award amount for a single award is $75,000. Applications are due by June 21, 2021.

The Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) administered by USDA Agricultural Marketing Service funds projects that develop, coordinate, and expand direct producer-to-consumer markets to help increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. Supported activities may include developing, coordinating, expanding, and providing outreach, training, and technical assistance to domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agritourism activities, online sales, or other direct producer-to-consumer (including direct producer-to-retail, direct producer-to-restaurant, and direct producer-to-institutional marketing) market opportunities. A 10% or a 25% match is required. Eligible applicants include local governments, nonprofits, agricultural businesses and cooperatives, and others. Approximately $38.5 million will be available to fund FMPP applications. Applications are due by June 21, 2021.

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has Conservation Innovation Grants (CIGs) available to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in Maine. NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support of this program in Fiscal Year 2021 will be up to $250,000, with a per-award maximum of $75,000. Proposals are requested from eligible governmental or non-governmental organizations, or individuals, for competitive consideration of grant awards. Projects will be between one and three years in duration. For Fiscal Year 2021, NRCS will consider offering CIGs in the following areas: Forestry; Aquatic Organism Conservation; Soil Health; Pollinator Conservation; and Irrigation and Natural Soil Moisture Management. Proposals are due by June 21, 2021.

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) requests applications for the fiscal year 2021 Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP). LFPP supports the development, coordination, and expansion of local and regional food business enterprises to increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. Approximately $38.5 million will be available. Planning projects range from $25,000 to $200,000, and implementation projects range from $100,000 to $750,000. AMS welcomes applications that meet LAMP goals to support the development, coordination, and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets and enterprises, and value-added agricultural products and thereby support pandemic recovery in the sector. Applications are due by June 21, 2021.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Vermont has up to $465,000 available for Conservation Innovation Grants. Non-federal entities are eligible to apply. Projects may be between one and three years in duration. The maximum award amount for a single award in FY 2021 is $175,000. Priorities for the Vermont call for proposals include the following: Water Quality, Soil Health, and Forestry and Wildlife Habitat Management. Proposals are due by June 29, 2021.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in California is accepting applications for Conservation Agreements from $30,000 to $75,000 to address specific conservation objectives. Emphasis will be placed on projects that provide technical assistance to NRCS staff in the implementation of Farm Bill conservation programs. NRCS anticipates 10 agreements. NRCS seeks collaboration with conservation partners and outside entities to perform conservation planning on private lands and complete conservation plans under NRCS conservation planning policy. Applications are due by June 30, 2021.

The South Carolina Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the Market Development Trade Show and Educational Conference Cost Share Program, which offers partial funding for specialty crop producers to attend certain pre-approved trade shows and conferences. A list of qualifying events is available online. The program is a project of the South Carolina Specialty Crop Growers Association and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture and is supported by USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant funding. The application deadline for the 2021-2022 project year is July 1, 2021.

The organic industry faces a shortage in well-qualified organic inspectors and reviewers. Given this issue, the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) is implementing an "Organic Industry Human Capital Capacity Building" initiative. The goal is to improve the oversight capacity of the organic industry by supporting and expanding the pool of qualified inspectors and reviewers. The initiative will support projects across the human capital pipeline, from initial workforce development to creating resources for existing professionals. USDA issued a Request for Applications that invites proposals for projects aimed at organic inspector and reviewer workforce development, recruitment, and retention. NOP intends to fund multiple projects (approximately three to six total) with different organizations, each of which may last no longer than one year. Applications are due by July 2, 2021.

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service requests applications for the fiscal year 2021 Regional Food System Partnerships (RFSP) grant program. Approximately $15.3 million will be available. The RFSP supports partnerships that connect public and private resources to plan and develop local or regional food systems. The RFSP focuses on building and strengthening local or regional food economy viability and resilience, and this includes pandemic response and recovery. Applicants will work with their partners to catalyze the development of local or regional food systems. Applicants will coordinate efforts within the partnership to set priorities, connect resources and services, and measure progress towards common goals. RFSP Planning and Design projects range from $100,000 to $250,000. Implementation and Expansion projects range from $250,000 to $1 million. Matching funds of 10% to 25% are required, depending upon the funding source. Applications are due by July 6, 2021.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Florida has a total of $300,000 available for Conservation Innovation Grants in Florida. All non-federal entities and individuals are invited to apply for grants up to $75,000 to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Up to 10% of the total funds available for CIG in FY 2021 is set aside for proposals from Historically Underserved producers, veteran farmers or ranchers, or community-based organizations comprised of or representing these entities. The Florida state priority this year is innovation and improved weather resiliency in High Tunnel Systems. Applications are due by July 12, 2021.

Grow-NY is a business competition focused on growing an enduring food and agriculture innovation cluster in the Grow-NY region including counties in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. The competition attracts innovative, high-growth food and agriculture startups from across the globe and engages them in the region's rapidly-growing startup ecosystem. Finalists will pitch their business ideas for a chance to win up to $1 million. Winning companies will be required to execute bold plans to grow jobs, connect with local industry partners, and contribute to a thriving Upstate economy. Applications close July 15, 2021.

As part of a recent grant from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, the University of Tennessee Department of Animal Science and the Center for Profitable Agriculture have teamed with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to support eligible Tennessee dairies as they seek to modernize and diversify their operations. Approximately $62,000 is still available for subawards to individual Tennessee dairy businesses. To qualify for a grant, dairy businesses must use the funds to improve their operations in one of the following three areas: modernization, specialization, and grazing transition on dairy farms; value chain and commodity innovation and facility and/or process updates for dairy processors; dairy product development, packaging, and/or marketing. Each applicant can apply for a maximum of $25,000. Applications will be accepted until July 15, 2021.

USDA has up to $2 million for cooperative agreements with local governments to host Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR) pilot projects for fiscal year 2021. The cooperative agreements support projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans, and they are part of USDA's broader efforts to support urban agriculture. Priority will be given to projects that anticipate or demonstrate economic benefits, incorporate plans to make compost easily accessible to farmers, including community gardeners, integrate other food waste strategies, including food recovery efforts and collaborate with multiple partners. Applications are due by July 16, 2021.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is investing up to $15 million to support the development of new tools, approaches, practices, and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. This is the national CIG Classic funding opportunity, which supports early pilot projects or demonstrations of promising new conservation approaches, tools, and technologies. CIG Classic grantees must match each federal dollar invested at least one to one. CIG partners use creative problem solving and innovation to address our nation's water quality, air quality, soil health, and wildlife habitat challenges, all while improving agricultural operations. This year, funded CIGs will focus on climate-smart strategies for water resources, soil health (focused on carbon sequestration and climate resilience), nutrient management, grazing lands conservation, and strategies to increase conservation adoption. All non-federal entities and individuals are eligible to apply. Proposals are due by July 19, 2021.