USDA Announces Details of Specialty Crop Bridge Program
John Walt Boatright
Director, Government Affairs
Chad Smith
Associate News Service Editor, NAFB
photo credit: New York Farm Bureau member Deb Tones
John Walt Boatright
Director, Government Affairs
Chad Smith
Associate News Service Editor, NAFB
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced details of the bridge assistance payment program for specialty crop growers. Chad Smith has the story.
Smith: Up to $1 billion was set aside in December for specialty crop growers to receive financial help through the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. John Walt Boatright, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the aid will go to farmers based on a rate that is still to be announced.
Boatright: This will be the program that is used to disseminate up to $1 billion of a $12 billion package on bridge payments for growers dealing with volatile markets. We also know that they will base these payments off of reported 2025 planted acres, and that has a deadline associated with it of March 13.
Smith: While there are still some specifics to be announced, Boatright says the basic info is available via the Farm Service Agency website.
Boatright: Where there will be details associated with that, and they have a list of eligible specialty crops. The first action is to make sure that you grow an eligible crop. Make sure to go on there and see if you have reported 2025 planted acres. Work with your local FSA office to report that by the deadline of March 13.
Smith: Boatright said this assistance is necessary because the overall farm economy is hurting, and specialty crop farming is no different.
Boatright: They’re experiencing higher input costs because of the intensive nature of that production, and certainly labor factors more so into specialty crop production, typically, than your average U.S. farm. That, coupled with some volatile markets, some trade impacts.
Smith: Find details and check eligible crops at fsa.usda.gov. Chad Smith, Washington.
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