Fordyce Hints at Expanded Specialty Crop & Sugar Aid Package Above $1 Billion
Comments in South Dakota suggest USDA may boost funding above previously announced $1 billion level for specialty crop assistance
USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Fordyce suggested during an event in South Dakota Thursday evening that additional funding may be added to the Trump administration’s specialty crop assistance package, according to a person familiar with the discussion. Fordyce reportedly indicated the administration had increased the amount beyond the previously announced $1 billion allocation for specialty crops, although he did not specify the source of the additional funding or the total amount being considered.
The comments come as USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins is expected to formally unveil details of the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program during an event today in California. USDA previously said the program would provide $1 billion in one-time bridge payments for specialty crops, sugar, and commodities not covered under the earlier Farmer Bridge Assistance program.
Any increase in funding would likely be welcomed by specialty crop producers, who have argued the original allocation was insufficient given mounting labor costs, elevated interest rates, trade disruptions, higher fertilizer and input expenses, and weather-related losses. Growers in California, Florida, Washington, Arizona, and other major fruit and vegetable producing states have been pressing USDA and Congress for broader assistance, arguing many high-value crops were excluded from prior commodity-focused support programs.
The timing is notable because USDA only recently completed Office of Management and Budget review of the final ASCF rule, suggesting negotiations over the program’s scope and funding may have continued late into the rulemaking process. If additional funding is confirmed, questions will likely emerge over whether USDA shifted existing Commodity Credit Corporation authorities, reprogrammed department funds, or secured additional support through broader Trump administration farm policy initiatives tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The specialty crop sector has intensified lobbying efforts in recent months, warning that financial stress is growing across fruit, vegetable, tree nut, nursery, and wine grape operations. Industry groups have also argued specialty crop producers historically receive less direct federal support than row crop producers despite accounting for a substantial share of U.S. farmgate value and agricultural labor demand.
Meanwhile, the administration has increasingly emphasized targeted support for politically and economically sensitive agricultural sectors. USDA in recent days has also highlighted cotton initiatives, biofuel policies, and trade-related assistance efforts as part of a broader strategy to shore up farm country support amid volatile commodity markets and ongoing uncertainty surrounding China trade negotiations and input costs.
