Specialty Crop Growers: Have You Applied Yet?
If you grow fruits, vegetables or tree nuts in the Southeast, consider this your reminder. USDA's Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program is still accepting applications, offering $1.625 billion in one-time assistance through the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program.
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the funding is intended to help offset some of the financial pressures specialty crop growers have faced, including rising labor, production and interest expenses, along with growing import competition.
Payments are based on reported 2025 planted acres. The program is available to producers who planted eligible specialty crops in 2025 and reported those acres to the Farm Service Agency.
Not every acre qualifies. Cover crops, prevented planted acres, and acreage intended for grazing, forage, silage, green manure, volunteer crops or experimental use won't be included when calculating payments. Specialty crops grown entirely in controlled environments, such as greenhouses or hoop houses, also are not eligible, except for mushrooms.
Applications are available online or through local Farm Service Agency offices through August 7.
