Some $113 million in grants were awarded by USDA for research, market-building and information-sharing projects that benefit growers of fruit, vegetables, tree nuts and nursery crops collectively known as specialty crops because of their limited plantings compared to widely grown field crops such as corn, wheat and soybeans. Specialty crops often bring high returns per acre, however. USDA sent $63 million in to states through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and $50 million to 15 research projects through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. USDA also said it gave $9.7 million in continuation grants to five research projects that began work in previous years.