The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced the publication of a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety (SPRD) Block Grant Program https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/sprs on Sept. 23. The SPRS grant program will provide approximately $50 million in assistance to seafood processing facilities and processing vessels through block grants to State agencies. USDA allocated funding to certain U.S. states and territories based on a formula that considers economic activity as demonstrated through commercial fisheries landings, as detailed in the RFA. This program is funded by the Pandemic Assistance provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
The application period for the Pandemic Response and Safety Safety(PRS) Grant Program https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/prs will open in early October. This is a shift from the originally scheduled opening date. Once open, applicants will still have 45 days to apply. The PRS grant program will provide assistance to small businesses in certain commodity areas, including specialty crop producers, shellfish farming, finfish farming, aquaculture and apiculture; specialty crop, meat, and other processors; distributors; and farmers markets. Approximately $650 million in funding is available for the PRS grants, which are funded by the Pandemic Assistance provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021
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