Fruit and vegetable farmers nationwide can now apply for financial assistance through a federal program worth $1.625 billion that was officially launched June 1st.
The Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program provides more funding than originally promised, surpassing the $1 billion commitment made by the Trump administration in late 2025 when they announced relief payments for producers dealing with market disruptions and rising production costs. This financial support aims to help farmers weather economic challenges until new provisions from the Republican reconciliation legislation passed in July 2025 take effect this October.
How to Apply and Who Qualifies
The Farm Service Agency will identify eligible participants and create pre-completed application forms (Form CCC-556) available through the department’s online system starting June 1st for those with Login.gov credentials. Farmers who lack online accounts or prefer in-person assistance can obtain applications at local FSA offices beginning June 8th. All applications must be turned in by August 7th.
To qualify for payments, producers must have grown eligible specialty crops during the 2025 crop year and submitted crop acreage reports to FSA by April 24, 2026.
Farmers must also have completed additional required paperwork (Forms CCC-902, CCC-941, and AD-1026) or file these documents by August 9, 2027.
Individual payment limits are set at $250,000 per applicant, and those with adjusted gross incomes exceeding $900,000 cannot participate.
Payment amounts differ by crop type, with produce categorized into payment tiers based on average yearly revenue per acre as calculated by the department.
| Tier | Per-acre payment | Crop examples (partial list) |
| 1 | $650 | Fresh grapes, strawberries, lettuce, onions, green bell peppers, arugula, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, freestone peaches, and okra |
| 2 | $225 | Apples, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, chili peppers, squash, and pumpkins |
| 3 | $65 | Pecans, sweet corn, cashew, and hazelnuts |
Qualifying bean and pea varieties will receive $25 per acre. However, bean and pea types already covered under the Farmer Bridge Assistance program cannot receive payments through this new specialty crop initiative. The department may expand the eligible crop list if officials determine other producers experienced comparable economic hardships.
Crops produced in controlled settings like greenhouses or hydroponic facilities generally won’t qualify for payments, though mushrooms are exempt from this restriction.
Officials anticipate approved applicants will start receiving their payments within the current month.
