The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on May 29 announced payment rates and the enrollment period for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program. The USDA will issue $1.625 billion in payments to eligible specialty crop producers in response to elevated input costs and market disruptions resulting from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impeded specialty crop exports.
Numerous specialty crops are eligible for payment under the program. Florida Citrus Mutual reported that for Florida citrus growers, the announced payment rates are $225 per acre for oranges, grapefruit, mandarins/tangerines, tangelos, tangors and related citrus crops. The payment rate is $650 per acre for lemons, limes and kumquats.
Growers who have a Login.gov account can access and submit their prefilled application now. Those who do not have a Login.gov account or prefer to enroll in person at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office can request their prefilled application beginning June 8. Assistance creating a Login.gov account is available here.
These payments are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and are administered by FSA. Specialty crop payments are intended to provide financial support to allow producers to pay for production and marketing inputs in the face of significant market disruptions during the 2025 growing season.
Payments will be issued as applications are submitted and approved, beginning as early as the first week of signup.
Specialty crop acres of eligible crops reported to FSA as an initial, double crop, repeat crop or subsequent crop by April 24 will be used to determine ASCF payments. Acreage that is reported as a cover crop, prevented planted, or with an intended use of grazing, left standing, green manure, silage, forage, volunteer, or experimental will not be used to determine ASCF payments.
Crop insurance linkage is not required. However, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new risk management tools provided in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to best protect against future price risk and volatility.
The ASCF payment limitation is $250,000. The ASCF enrollment period closes on Aug. 7.
See more information about the ASCF Program here.
Sources: USDA and Florida Citrus Mutual
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