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Michelle Infante-Casella – Rutgers Plant & Pest Advisory – February 17, 2026
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing $1 billion in Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program assistance for specialty crops and sugar, commodities not covered through the previously announced Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program. These one-time bridge payments will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. Specialty crop producers have until March 13, 2026, to report 2025 acres to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).
The Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program is authorized under the Commodity Credit
Corporation Charter Act and will be administered by FSA.
Eligible Specialty Crops
ASCF-eligible specialty crops include: (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
*Dry edible beans and peas covered by FBA will not be eligible for ASCF.
ASCF payments are based on reported 2025 planted acres.
Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5 p.m. ET on March
13, 2026. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of March. Crop insurance linkage
will not be required for the ASCF Program. However, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.
More information on ASCF is available online at www.fsa.usda.gov/fba or producers can contact their local FSA county office.