One Big Beautiful Bill a Boost to Specialty Crops

The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) weighed in on the budget and tax bill signed into law by President Trump.

According to FFVA, the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) delivers a significant boost to the specialty crop industry, with targeted investments that will benefit growers across Florida and the country.

Key provisions in the OBBBA include:

• $100 million per year for the Specialty Crop Block Grant program
• $175 million per year for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative
• A doubling of funding for the Market Access Program
• Full funding for the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops program
• A permanent exemption to the adjusted gross income (AGI) limitation for Title 1, disaster and conservation programs (if 75% of income is from farming)
• Full funding for the Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund
• Increased funding for the Office of Pest Management and the Plant Protection Act Sec. 7721
• Full funding for the Organic Certification Cost-Share Program and the Specialty Crop Market News
• Enhancements to the Tree Assistance Program and crop insurance programs

These investments follow the USDA’s recent release of $1.3 billion in additional funding through the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops program, which featured simplified paperwork, a $900,000 payment cap and AGI exemptions for qualifying growers.

While the bill marks a significant step forward, several specialty crop priorities were left out due to Senate rules. These include crop insurance reform, procurement modernization, mechanization research and updates to reflect post-2018 farm bill realities. Work continues to advance these proposals in future legislation.

These achievements, and the work ahead, would not be possible without the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA). FFVA is proud to co-chair the SCFBA and remains committed to ensuring that specialty crops are represented in federal agricultural policy.

See Florida Farm Bureau’s take on the OBBBA here.

Source: FFVA