Beautiful colorful flowers in the field | MaxFX via Shutterstock
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the launch of the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program, allocating $2 billion in direct payments to specialty crop growers, including floriculture businesses. Eligible growers can receive up to $125,000 per applicant to help offset rising input costs and expand market opportunities.
The USDA is accepting applications for the program now through Jan. 8, 2025.
This marks only the second time in history that the USDA has provided direct financial assistance to the floral industry, a milestone achieved after the Society of American Florists (SAF) successfully advocated for the inclusion of floriculture growers in the CFAP2 pandemic aid program in 2020.
“We’re thrilled that floriculture growers are once again recognized as essential contributors to the agricultural economy,” says SAF‘s CEO Kate Penn. “This program offers much-needed support to offset rising costs and strengthen the industry’s future.”
About the MASC Program
MASC supports specialty crop producers facing increased marketing costs due to factors such as:
- Perishability of crops like fruits, vegetables, floriculture, and nursery plants.
- Specialized handling and transportation with temperature and humidity controls.
- Protective packaging to prevent damage during shipping.
- Moving perishables to market quickly.
- Higher labor costs.
Eligibility Criteria
Producers must be in business at the time of application, maintain an ownership share, and share in the risk of producing a specialty crop that will be sold in the calendar year 2025.
MASC covers the following commercially marketed specialty crops:
- Fruits (fresh, dried).
- Vegetables (including dry edible beans and peas, mushrooms, and vegetable seed).
- Tree nuts.
- Nursery crops, Christmas trees, and floriculture.
- Culinary and medicinal herbs and spices.
- Honey, hops, maple sap, tea, turfgrass, and grass seed.
How to Apply
Eligible producers should complete the following application steps by Jan. 8, 2025:
Submit Application Forms:
- FSA-1140 for established producers.
- FSA-1141 for new producers; along with proof of 2025 expected sales, and certain documentation to support reported sales i.e., receipts, contracts, acreage reports, input receipts, etc.
MASC applicants, established and new, must also submit the following information to FSA if not already on file at the time of application:
- Form AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet.
- Form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan for an individual or legal entity.
- Form CCC-941, Average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) Certification and Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information.
- Form FSA-942, Certification of Income from Farming, Ranching, and Forestry Operations, if applicable, for the producer and members of entities.
- A highly erodible land conservation (sometimes referred to as HELC) and wetland conservation certification (Form AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification) for the ERP producer and applicable affiliates.
- Other documentation if requested by FSA to support reported specialty crop sales.
Those who are uncertain or want to confirm the status of their forms or producers who may be new to conducting business with FSA can contact their local FSA county office.
For MASC program participation, eligible specialty crop sales only include sales of commercially marketed raw specialty crops grown in the U.S. by the producer. The portion of sales derived from adding value to a specialty crop (such as sorting, processing, or packaging) is not included when determining eligible sales. Further explanation of what is considered by FSA for specialty crop sales as well as an online MASC decision tool and applicable program forms, are available on the MASC program webpage.
Payment Details
Payments for established growers will be based on 2025 specialty crop sales, while payments for new producers will be determined by expected sales. Payments will be issued after the application period ends. If demand exceeds available funds, payments may be prorated or reduced. Payment calculation details and examples are available on the MASC webpage or related questions can be directed to local FSA county office staff.
For more information, producers are encouraged to review the full MASC fact sheet and application guidelines on the USDA’s official MASC program page.
