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<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:red">External Email</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">AZ Specialty Crop Block Grant Program</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">The 2023 AZ Specialty Crop Block Grant Program grant manual is now available and applications are now being accepted. To view the manual, please go to: </span><span style="color:black"><a href="https://agriculture.az.gov/grants" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">https://agriculture.az.gov/grants</span></b></a></span><b><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">.</span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">This year’s grant application deadline is</span></b><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"> <b>11:59:59 P.M. (MST)</b> <b>Friday, March 3, 2023</b>. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Application Packets are required to be submitted on-line. See instructions at the website above and Appendix G of the manual. It is highly recommended that you review the instructions
as soon as possible to become familiar with the on-line application process.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">There will be two <span class="gmaildefault">virtual </span>webinar workshops held<span class="gmaildefault"> via Zoom</span> on <u>Wednesday, February 8<span class="gmaildefault">th
and Thursday, February 9th</span>.</u> See page 14 of the manual or the website above for more details<span class="gmaildefault"> and <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSczd-eALppSsxTy4weX5KV7shV1QyorLdlz2gt3MBZIh35njQ/viewform">register here</a></span>.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">The purpose of this program is <b><u>to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Arizona</u></b>.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">The Arizona Department of Agriculture anticipates that these grant monies will be available to successful applicants by late 2023</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">.
AZDA projects that approximately $1,200,000 will be available to be distributed in the fiscal year 202</span><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">3</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> funding cycle.</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Please forward this information to all interested parties. For more information<span class="gmaildefault"> </span>please contact:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Lisa A. James</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Grant Program Manager</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Arizona Department of Agriculture</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">1110 W. Washington Street</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Suite 450</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Phoenix, AZ 85007</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Phone: 602-542-3262</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Fax: 602-364-0830</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><a href="mailto:ljames@azda.gov" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">ljames@azda.gov</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">or</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Ashley Estes</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Grant Program Coordinator</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Arizona Department of Agriculture</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">1110 W. Washington Street</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Suite 450</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Phoenix, AZ 85007</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Phone: 602-542-0972</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black">Fax: 602-364-0830</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:aestes@azda.gov" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#0563C1">aestes@azda.gov</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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