BISHOP, BIPARTISAN SPECIALTY CROP CAUCUS URGES EQUITABLE RELIEF FOR SPECIALTY CROP PRODUCERS

WASHINGTON – Specialty Crop Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Rep. Jim Costa (CA-21), Rep. David Rouzer (NC-07), and Rep. David Valadao (CA-22), joined by 103 Members of Congress, sent a bipartisan letter to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees urging immediate and equitable relief for specialty crop producers. 

The letter comes in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which allocates $11 billion to row crop producers, and $1 billion is reserved for specialty crops and other commodities, with little clarity on payment structure or timing. 

Specialty crops—including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture products—represent one of the most economically significant and labor-intensive sectors of U.S. agriculture, generating more than $75 billion annually in cash receipts. Yet specialty crop producers continue to face rising costs and market disruptions without receiving proportional relief. 

Between 2020 and 2025, specialty crop growers paid: 

• 25% more for pesticides
• 31% more for fuel
• 37% more for fertilizer
• Nearly 50% more for labor 

These cost increases were not matched by comparable increases in crop prices, placing significant strain on growers across the country. 

In their letter, the Members stress that while USDA has stated that $1 billion will be reserved for specialty crops, details regarding eligibility, payment formulas, and timelines remain unclear. The co-chairs urge the Agriculture Committees to press USDA to ensure these funds are distributed quickly, fairly, and in a manner that reflects the unique structure of specialty crop operations. 

“Specialty crop growers contribute over $75 billion annually to the U.S. economy, yet they continue to face rising input costs, limited access to labor, trade disruptions, and other unprecedented challenges. As USDA rolls out the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, we urge the Agriculture Committees to ensure that the $1 billion set aside for specialty crops is distributed quickly, fairly, and equitably, so growers can continue producing for our nation and remain globally competitive,” said the bipartisan Specialty Crop Caucus Co-Chairs.

“After months of uncertainty, specialty crop growers urgently need clarity and meaningful relief, and we appreciate the Specialty Crop Caucus for elevating this issue and making clear that specialty crops must be included in any relief package for American agriculture,” the co-chairs of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance said. “Specialty crops are both an economic engine and the source of the most nutritious foods in the American diet, but current policies fail to reflect their importance to public health and food security. We strongly support the Caucus’s call for USDA to act swiftly, provide transparency, and build on proven relief models such as the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops Program (MASC) and CFAP-2 to ensure assistance reaches growers quickly and fairly. Specialty crop growers cannot afford further delay, and we urge congressional leadership and the Administration to move immediately to deliver proportional, transparent, and timely relief that reflects the economic significance and unique cost structures of specialty crop agriculture.” 

Previous programs, including the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP-2) and the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) Program, demonstrated tailored formulas and streamlined delivery systems ensure relief reaches producers efficiently. 

The Members emphasize USDA should build on these proven models as they proceed with implementation of the FBA Program. The Specialty Crop Caucus is calling on congressional leadership and the Administration to prioritize parity, transparency, and urgency, ensuring specialty crop producers receive the support necessary to remain competitive, sustain rural economies, and continue supplying safe, affordable food to consumers nationwide. 

Background: USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance Program Announced December 8, 2025: 

• $12 billion total in assistance
  • $11 billion designated for row crops
  • $1 billion reserved for commodities not covered by the FBA Program; payment timelines and details are still being finalized based on market impacts and economic needs.
• Payments for row crops are expected as early as February 28, 2026

Find the full letter here.

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