Extended Acreage Reporting Deadline
Specialty crop producers who missed the March 13th acreage reporting deadline may still participate in the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) reopened the 2025 crop acreage reporting period for program participation. Specialty crop producers now have until April 24, 2026, to report 2025 acres to FSA.
The ASCF will provide a one-time payment to specialty crop growers to help mitigate market disruptions and increased input costs. Crops eligible for payment under ASCF include specialty crops (listed below), sugar, and commodities not included in USDA's Farmer Bridge Assistance Program.
Payments will be based on 2025 crop acres planted, as reported to FSA. A crop acreage report must be filed with FSA to be eligible for payments. Growers eligible for ASCF payments have until April 24, 2026 to make sure 2025 crop acreage reports are factual and accurate.
Growers, including beginning farmers, who have not filed an acreage report should contact their county Farm Service Agency office as soon as possible to report by the April 24th deadline in order to be eligible for payments. USDA guidance on how to report can be found here - Crop Acreage Reporting Information . Local FSA office locations can be found using this search tool - USDA Service Center Locator .
Eligible Specialty Crops
USDA lists the following as specialty crops eligible for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program, but notes that dry edible beans and peas covered by the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program will not be eligible for ASCF payments.
(A) Almond, Apple, Apricot, Aronia berry, Artichoke, Asparagus, Avocado (B) Banana, Bean (Snap or green; Lima; Dry edible), Beet (Table), Blackberry, Blueberry, Breadfruit, Broccoli (including Broccoli Raab), Brussels Sprouts (C) Cabbage (including Chinese), Cacao, Carrot, Cashew, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Cherimoya, Cherry, Chestnut (for Nuts), Chive, Citrus, Coconut, Coffee, Collards (including Kale), Cranberry, Cucumber, Currant (D) Date, Dry Edible Beans and Peas* (E) Edamame, Eggplant, Endive (F) Feijou, Fig, Filbert (Hazelnut) (G) Garlic, Gooseberry, Grape (including Raisin), Guava (H) Horseradish (K) Kiwi, Kohlrabi (L) Leek, Lettuce, Litchi (M) Macadamia, Mango, Melon (All Types), Mushroom (Cultivated), Mustard and Other Greens (N) Nectarine (O) Okra, Olive, Onion, Opuntia (P) Papaya, Parsley, Parsnip, Passion Fruit, Pea (Garden; English or Edible Pod; Dry edible), Peach, Pear, Pecan, Pepper, Persimmon, Pineapple, Pistachio, Plum (including Prune), Pomegranate, Potato, Pumpkin (Q) Quince (R) Radish (All Types), Raspberry, Rhubarb, Rutabaga (S) Salsify, Spinach, Squash (Summer and Winter), Strawberry, Suriname Cherry, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato, Swiss Chard (T) Taro, Tomato (including Tomatillo), Turnip (W) Walnut, Watermelon
Payment Timing and Amounts
USDA states that commodity-specific payment rates will be released soon after the acreage reporting deadline but has not released an expected payment date. USDA is encouraging producers to create a Login.gov account, if they do not already have one, to prepare for the announcement of the ASCF program application period and expedite the application and payment process.