Blossom file photo

California growers are breathing a little easier after the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week that specialty crops will qualify for payments under a $1 billion fund set aside last December — money that could not come at a better time for farmers who have endured years of financial hardship.

The program, Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF), falls under the broader Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program, which the USDA launched alongside an $11 billion aid package for row crop farmers announced in December 2025. Under the ASCF, payments will be based on acres planted in 2025, with the USDA set to announce payment rates for each commodity by the end of March.

For Central Valley growers, the announcement hits close to home. Specialty crops — defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture — make up the backbone of California agriculture. Apricots, almonds, apples, peaches, nectarines, and strawberries are among the crops eligible for assistance.

Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, called the announcement welcome news for an industry that has been under sustained financial pressure.

“Times have been extremely tough for the last four to five years, and this is a small lifeline for those growers as we start to go into the new year,” Jacobsen said.

He acknowledged the program won’t solve everything, but said any relief matters right now. Timing-wise, payments are expected to arrive around harvest season — which, while not immediate, is actually when cash flow pressure peaks for most operations.

“It is arguably the most expensive time of year for farm operations,” Jacobsen said. “A lot of the money will be put right back into the operations to be immediately used for cash flow purposes and to help make things a little better on the farm for the upcoming year.”

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said the agency has simplified the application process to get money into farmers’ hands quickly. Growers who apply online could see funds deposited as early as February 28, 2026.

“Putting Farmers First means providing economic relief now while the Trump Administration continues opening new markets and strengthening the farm safety net,” Rollins said.

The FBA enrollment period opened February 23 and runs through April 17, 2026. Growers can apply at at the USDA website.