Specialty crop producers are likely just weeks away from learning how much support they’ll receive from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s $1 billion aid package, as officials work through final acreage data needed to calculate payments.
In an interview with Farm Journal, Richard Fordyce said the timeline for details depends on information gathered through the recently closed acreage reporting period.
“We’ve reached the acreage reporting signup deadline, and now we need to understand the full universe of acres,” Fordyce says. “Once we have that, we can move quickly into developing payment rates per acre by crop.”
Fordyce indicated producers could see an announcement soon.
“I would expect that we’ll have an announcement in a couple of weeks, hopefully,” he says. “It may be a little longer than that, but we’ve got some math to do and we want to make sure we get that right.”
Acreage Data Drives Payment Rates
The reporting deadline Fordyce referenced was extended by U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this spring to ensure more producers could participate in the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program.
According to Farm Service Agency (FSA), the acreage reporting window for 2025 specialty crops was reopened and ultimately closed April 24, 2026. The additional time was intended to capture a more complete picture of planted acres nationwide—data that will now be used to set commodity-specific payment rates.
Those payments will be based directly on reported 2025 planted acres, making accuracy in reporting a critical step in determining how the $1 billion in aid is distributed.
Program Aims to Offset Market Pressures
The ASCF program, announced by Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins in February, is designed to help producers weather a range of economic challenges. These include market disruptions, rising input costs, persistent inflation and increased competition from foreign suppliers engaging in unfair trade practices.
Authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, the program covers a wide array of specialty crops, from almonds, apples and berries to vegetables like broccoli, lettuce and tomatoes, as well as nuts and other high-value crops.
However, not all crops qualify. Dry edible beans and peas covered under separate assistance programs are excluded from ASCF eligibility.
What Happens Next
With acreage reporting now complete, USDA officials are focused on translating that data into per-acre payment rates across dozens of eligible crops, a process Fordyce acknowledged is complex given the diversity of the sector.
“There’s a lot of crops when we start talking about that specialty crop category,” he says.
Once payment rates are finalized, USDA is expected to open the application period. In the meantime, producers are encouraged to prepare by setting up accounts through Login.gov, which will allow for faster application processing when signups begin. Applications will also be available through local FSA county offices.
While crop insurance is not required to participate in ASCF, USDA is encouraging producers to consider risk management tools available under recent legislation to help guard against future price volatility.
For now, all eyes are on USDA’s forthcoming announcement, which will determine how the $1 billion in aid is allocated across the specialty crop sector.
