Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)
The purpose of the SCRI program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas:
- Research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods to improve crop characteristics
- Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators
- Efforts to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity, and profitability over the long term (including specialty crop policy and marketing)
- New innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening
- Methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production efficiency, handling and processing of specialty crops
Under the current Continuing Resolution (CR) the waiver of match for Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) is extended. However, since awards are anticipated following the date of expiration of the CR and the authorizing language requires match, the Request for Applications for SCRI Pre-applications does not include mention of the waiver. Should the waiver language be included in future appropriations legislation, then the SCRI full-applications RFA will include that language that gives NIFA the waiver authority.
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