Specialty crop farmers can begin applying to receive one-time payments under USDA’s Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program finalized June 1.

The program’s $1.625 billion price tag exceeds the $1 billion the Trump administration initially pledged for specialty crops late last year when announcing assistance payments for producers facing market disruptions and high input costs. The economic aid is designed to provide relief to farmers until provisions from Republicans’ July 2025 reconciliation law kick in this October.

Application Process and Eligibility Criteria

FSA will identify potential program participants and prepare a pre-filled form (Form CCC-556), which can be accessed through USDA’s online portal beginning June 1 for producers with a Login.gov account. Producers without an account, or who prefer to receive applications in person, can request their applications at their local FSA office beginning June 8.  Applications must be submitted by Aug. 7.

Producers must have planted listed specialty crops during crop year 2025 and filed a crop acreage report for those crops with FSA by April 24, 2026, to be eligible for a payment.

Producers also must have additional forms on file (Forms CCC-902, CCC-941, and AD-1026) or submit them by Aug. 9, 2027.

Payments will be capped at $250,000 per applicant and won’t be available to applicants with an adjusted gross income above $900,000.

Payments per crop also will vary, with crops sorted into a tier system based on the average annual revenue per acre for specialty crops as defined by USDA.

Tier	Payment rate per acre	Examples of crops included (not comprehensive)
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

Eligible beans and peas would receive $25 per acre. Bean and pea types eligible for payment under the Farmer Bridge Assistance program won’t be eligible for payments under the ASCF program. Additional crops may be added if USDA determines producers of those crops suffered similar economic challenges.

Commodities grown in a controlled environment, such as in greenhouses or hydroponic systems, would generally be ineligible for payments. An exception would be made for mushrooms.

The department expects approved applicants to begin receiving payments this month.