1) The California Cherry Board (CCB) is soliciting proposals for research found to be of highest priority by the industry and which will significantly benefit the production and post-harvest handling practices of sweet cherry in California.
Production Research Priorities (See RFP for more details):
- Pest Management with emphasis on management of spotted wing drosophila (SWD)
- Tree Health with emphasis on pre- and postharvest disease biology and management, soilborne and canker diseases, and orchard replant diseases with emphasis on nematode management and alternatives to fumigations.
- Variety Development
- Dormancy
- Pre and Post-Harvest Fruit Quality
- Irrigation
- Weed Management
- Invertebrate Control Gophers
- Ground squirrels
Post Harvest Research Priorities (See RFP for more details):
- Marketing/Sales
- Consumer Preferences and quality including minimizing Defects, fruit quality attributes such as Brix, Acid content.
- Minimum Maturity and Grade Standards
- Crop management to match market demands.
- Stem retention
- Nutrition
- Human health benefits
Applications Due: October 27, 2025
2) The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is accepting proposals for the 2025 California Agriculture Special Interest License Plate (CalAgPlate) grant program. This program projects an estimated $200,000 in grant funding available to promote agricultural education and leadership activities for students at the K-12, post-secondary, and adult education levels.
Tier 1 – California Adopted Agricultural Education Programs Up to 85 percent ($170,000) of total available grant award funding is reserved for the California FFA Association. Applicants interested in applying for Tier 1 funding must coordinate directly with the California FFA Association.
Tier 1 grant awards range from $10,000 to $170,000 per project.
Tier 2 – Local/Community/State Agricultural Education Programs Up to 15 percent ($30,000) of available funding will be awarded to eligible Local/Community/State Agricultural Education Programs.
Tier 2 grant awards range from $2,500 to $10,000 per project
Applications Due: October 9, 2025