Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program
USDA, through its recently announced Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program, 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.
Here is what beginning farmers need to know.
March 13th Crop Acreage Reporting Deadline
Payments will be based off 2025 crop acres planted, as reported to USDA. A crop acreage report must be filed with USDA to be eligible for payments under this program. Growers eligible for ASCF payments have until March 13, 2026 (by 5 p.m. ET) 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 March 13th 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 the end of March but have not released an expected payment date.