USDA Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF): Eligibility, Payments, Deadline & Funding Disparity Explained
Thombar team
On February 13, 2026, USDA announced a $1 billion assistance program for specialty crop producers.
It is called the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program. It is a follow-on to the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program — the $12 billion relief package the Trump Administration launched in December 2025, which initially directed $11 billion to row crop producers and set aside $1 billion for specialty crops and sugar, with details to follow.
Those details are now here. And there is a lot growers need to know.
This post covers the program, the eligibility list, the deadline, and the ongoing fight for fair funding. It also covers something equally important: why your farm's financial foundation cannot depend on government assistance — and what a better approach looks like.
Background: The Farmer Bridge Assistance Program
In December 2025, President Trump and USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program — a one-time relief package for American farmers dealing with market disruptions, elevated input costs, and the lingering economic damage from four years of Biden-era agricultural policy.
Of the $12 billion total, $11 billion went to row crop and commodity producers. Payment rates were released December 31, 2025, covering crops like corn ($44.36/acre), soybeans ($30.88/acre), cotton ($117.35/acre), rice ($132.89/acre), and wheat ($39.35/acre).
Specialty crop growers were told their payments were "still under development" and would "require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs."
That meant waiting. The ASCF Program is USDA's answer to that wait.
What Is the ASCF Program?
The Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers Program is a one-time bridge payment for specialty crops and sugar — the commodities excluded from the original FBA round.
It is authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and administered by USDA's Farm Service Agency.
Payments are based on reported 2025 planted acres. Per-acre payment rates by commodity will be released by the end of March.
Key details:
The March 13 deadline is firm. If you grow eligible specialty crops and have not yet reported your 2025 acreage to FSA, contact your local office now.
Find your local FSA county office →
Which Crops Are Eligible?
USDA released a comprehensive list of ASCF-eligible crops. The full list, organized alphabetically:
A — Almond, Apple, Apricot, Aronia Berry, Artichoke, Asparagus, Avocado
B — Banana, Bean (Snap/Green; Lima; Dry Edible), Beet (Table), Blackberry, Blueberry, Breadfruit, Broccoli (incl. Broccoli Raab), Brussels Sprouts
C — Cabbage (incl. Chinese), Cacao, Carrot, Cashew, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Cherimoya, Cherry, Chestnut (for Nuts), Chive, Citrus, Coconut, Coffee, Collards (incl. Kale), Cranberry, Cucumber, Currant
D — Date, Dry Edible Beans and Peas*
E — Edamame, Eggplant, Endive
F — Feijoa, Fig, Filbert (Hazelnut)
G — Garlic, Gooseberry, Grape (incl. Raisin), Guava
H — Horseradish
K — Kiwi, Kohlrabi
L — Leek, Lettuce, Litchi
M — Macadamia, Mango, Melon (All Types), Mushroom (Cultivated), Mustard and Other Greens
N — Nectarine
O — Okra, Olive, Onion, Opuntia
P — Papaya, Parsley, Parsnip, Passion Fruit, Pea (Garden; English or Edible Pod; Dry Edible*), Peach, Pear, Pecan, Pepper, Persimmon, Pineapple, Pistachio, Plum (incl. Prune), Pomegranate, Potato, Pumpkin
Q — Quince
R — Radish (All Types), Raspberry, Rhubarb, Rutabaga
S — Salsify, Spinach, Squash (Summer and Winter), Strawberry, Suriname Cherry, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato, Swiss Chard
T — Taro, Tomato (incl. Tomatillo), Turnip
W — Walnut, Watermelon
Which Crops Are Not Included?
The ASCF list is broad, but several categories commonly associated with specialty agriculture are not on it:
If your crop is not on the eligible list and you believe it should qualify, contact your local FSA county office or send a question to farmerbridge@usda.gov.
$1 Billion vs. $11 Billion: The Funding Disparity
The ASCF announcement is welcome. But the numbers deserve a direct look.
The same $12 billion program that provided $11 billion to row crop producers provided $1 billion to specialty crops and sugar combined. That is an 11-to-1 ratio. Specialty crops represent $70 to $100 billion in annual U.S. farm-gate value and account for more than a third of all U.S. crop sales. The disparity is hard to justify on economic grounds alone.
Liron Brish, CEO of Thombar was at the Southwest Ag Summit in Yuma, Arizona on February 19, and asked Deputy Secretary Richard Fordyce directly why specialty crops received such a smaller allocation. Fordyce's explanation: USDA had significantly more data on commodity row crops — decades of standardized acreage reporting, price histories, and economic models — which made it possible to calculate and deploy payments quickly. For specialty crops, that data infrastructure does not exist at the same scale. The diversity of crops, production systems, and geographies made it far harder to move with the same speed or confidence.
USDA had significantly more data on commodity row crops, which led to the higher allocation. For specialty crops, the diversity and complexity of production systems made it harder to move as quickly or with as large a figure.— Paraphrased from remarks by USDA Deputy Secretary Richard Fordyce, Southwest Ag Summit, Yuma, Arizona, February 19, 2026
Thombar understands the administrative challenge. We do not accept the outcome as a fair one.
A data gap is a reason to invest in better data infrastructure. It is not a justification for an 11-to-1 funding split. Specialty crop growers contribute too much to American agriculture — and to American nutrition — to be treated as a footnote in a farm relief program.
We support USDA sending more representatives to see specialty crop production firsthand. In the Yuma valley, the Central Valley, Salinas Valley, Florida's citrus belt, the Pacific Northwest, and other areas, federal officials can see the scale and complexity of this sector directly. The more Washington decision-makers understand what it actually takes to grow this food, the harder it will be to justify a disparity like this one the next time.
The Industry Is Pushing for More
The ASCF Program is a one-time bridge payment. USDA has been explicit about that.
The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) — a national coalition of 150 organizations — responded to the ASCF announcement by calling on Congress to provide no less than $5 billion in dedicated aid for the specialty crop sector. The SCFBA is co-chaired by Cathy Burns (International Fresh Produce Association), Dave Puglia (Western Growers), Mike Joyner (Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association), and Kam Quarles (National Potato Council).
Their statement: "The hard truth is that even with today's announcement, more help is needed."
Thombar agrees. We will continue to advocate alongside growers and industry groups for fairer treatment in every program that follows.
Relief Programs Are Not a Financial Plan
Here is something worth saying plainly.
Government assistance programs are unpredictable. They are underfunded relative to need. Payment rates arrive late. Deadlines change. Eligibility criteria shift. This program is a case study in all of it — commodity growers got their rates in December, specialty crop growers are still waiting in February.
If your farm's financial stability depends on when a government check arrives, that is a fragile position to be in.
The operations that weather hard seasons best are not the ones that waited longest for relief. They are the ones that built financial resilience before the disruption hit — operations that earn more on their cash, spend less on inputs, and have working capital available when they need it.
That is what Thombar is built for.
Earn More on Your Cash
Specialty crop operations often hold significant cash balances between harvest payouts and planting-season spending.
At most traditional banks, that cash earns 0% to 0.1% Annual Percentage Yield (APY).
Thombar checking accounts** can earn up to 2.75% APY***. On $500,000 in average deposits, the difference is roughly $13,000 per year — money that was always yours, just not working for you.
While you wait for ASCF payment rates to be published, your operating cash should be generating real income.
Save on Inputs Through Exclusive Perks
Another way to reduce reliance on government assistance is to reduce your cost of production.
Thombar members get access to over $30,000 in annual savings through exclusive discounts with agricultural suppliers, equipment providers, labor management platforms, and logistics services — including Wilbur-Ellis, Seso, BeeHero, Farmblox, and others built for specialty crop operations.
Not generic business discounts. Savings negotiated for growers, on what growers actually spend money on.
Access Working Capital When You Need It
Cash flow timing is one of the defining financial challenges of specialty crop farming.
Input costs peak before harvest. Labor is front-loaded. Equipment breaks down on its own schedule. When a gap opens, you need capital fast — not after three weeks of paperwork and branch visits.
Thombar members can apply once for a line of credit of up to $150,000****. If approved, funds can be available as soon as the next business day. No repeated applications. No branch visits. Draw what you need, repay, reuse.
Having that line available means you are never forced into a bad financial decision because of a short-term cash gap — regardless of when a government payment arrives.
Apply for up to $150,000 in seasonal working capital. Apply online in minutes →
What to Do Right Now
If you grow specialty crops, here is your action list:
And if you have not yet set up a financial foundation that does not depend on the timing of a government program, that conversation starts here.
Additional Resources
**Thombar is a financial technology company and is not a bank. Banking services are provided by i3 Bank, Member FDIC. The Thombar Visa Debit Card is issued by i3 Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used anywhere Visa cards are accepted.
Accounts are eligible for pass-through deposit insurance only to the extent pass-through insurance is permitted by the rules and regulations of the FDIC, and if the requirements for pass-through insurance are satisfied. There may be a risk that pass-through deposit insurance is not available because conditions have not been satisfied. In such cases, funds may not be fully insured in the event the insured depository institution where the funds have been deposited were to fail.
***Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is variable and subject to change after account opening. Rate is compounded monthly and credited monthly. Total balances less than $50,000 earn up to 1.00% APY. Total balances between $50,000 and $249,999 earn up to 1.875%. Total balances of $250,000 or more earn up to 2.75% APY.
****Lines of credit are provided by Fundbox. Fundbox makes capital available to businesses through business loans and lines of credit originated by First Electronic Bank or Lead Bank. California businesses: Fundbox makes business loans and lines of credit loans pursuant to California Financing Law license 60DBO-48774. All financing is subject to credit approval of a completed application. Fundbox and its bank partners base loan eligibility on their respective credit and risk policies, applicable legal requirements, and other business considerations. Financing may not be available in all states and may be subject to local restrictions where applicable.