Specialty Crops
The request allocates $10 billion to row and specialty crop producers for crops planted in 2026, with the remaining $1.1 billion designated for Florida farmers hit by winter storms in late 2025 and early 2026.
An unseasonably warm winter in the Southwest desert has accelerated a destructive whitefly virus outbreak, cutting yields by up to 40% and forcing major shippers into a temporary, near-total two-week supply blackout before northern crops recover.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the enrollment period and payment rates for the new Assistance for Specialty Crops Farmers program to support producers facing elevated costs and unfair foreign trade competition.
Driven by a volatile cocktail of geopolitical conflicts and skyrocketing fuel and fertilizer costs, the U.S. fresh produce industry is navigating a hidden crisis where stable retail averages mask a shrinking financial safety net for independent farmers.
Great Lakes Tek Flex will tackle the unique challenges of Midwestern growers by connecting them with autonomous robotics and AI solutions to solve labor shortages and accelerate technology adoption across the region.
Following the House passage of H.R. 7567, industry organizations are urgently calling on the Senate to swiftly approve the bipartisan farm bill to provide vital economic stability and competitive investments for American family farms.
USDA expects to announce payment rates for its $1B specialty crop aid in a few weeks after closing acreage reporting, which will determine how relief is distributed across eligible crops.
While the USDA begins rolling out long-awaited specialty crop grants, National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles warns that the $1 billion in emergency relief for the industry remains stuck in neutral, leaving farmers waiting on urgently needed relief that has yet to arrive.
Agriculture expert Will Westmoreland explains how the Iran conflict has triggered surging prices for fuel, fertilizer and plastics, creating a direct economic bridge between Middle Eastern instability and rising costs in the U.S. produce aisle.
As production costs skyrocket and retail giants consolidate, growers struggle to maintain margins in an imbalanced supply chain.
The National Potato Council CEO breaks down the push for a more resilient farm bill and why targeted relief is essential for the future of specialty crops and U.S. growers.
National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles details how the industry moved from the legislative sidelines to the heart of the 2026 Farm Bill.
USDA says it will provide $1 billion in assistance for specialty crops, sugar and commodities not covered through the previously announced Farmer Bridge Assistance program, but with $500 million in losses to just russet potatoes alone, the figure falls well short of the full funding needed.
In a letter to the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture Committees, the caucus calls for the immediate release of the $1 billion in USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance Program aid earmarked for specialty crop producers.
Just the russet variety of potatoes alone are looking at $500 million in losses this year, says National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles.
More from the dynamic expo floor at the recent NYPS at New York City’s Javits Center.
The premium fruit breeding company has won a decisive victory in a multiyear infringement case involving large scale hectares of illegally planted Sweet Sapphire grapes in one of China’s most important grape-producing regions.
Packaging has become as important to the fresh produce industry as water, or at least next in line behind water, says Emerald Packaging CEO Kevin Kelly.
Canadian Produce Marketing Association President Ron Lemaire has shared the Dec. 8 letter he penned to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and other Canadian government officials urging for the full 16-year renewal of the North American agreement.
From a new greenhouse tomato grower aiming to be different to an organic apple update, hot produce topics were the talk of the town in the Big Apple.
The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance says it stands “ready to work with the administration and Congress to advance a meaningful assistance package to support specialty crop growers during this difficult period.”
What began as research into citrus greening resistance has unexpectedly revealed a potential market for finger limes, offering a new opportunity for the state’s growers and the specialty citrus industry.
The Netherlands-based company has entered a strategic agreement to license Pairwise’s precision plant breeding tools, with the goal of accelerating the development of improved vegetable varieties that meet the evolving needs of growers, retailers and consumers.
A spinoff of Aerobotics Crop Insurance Solutions will use historical data and future projections to help tailor crop protection policies for specialty crop growers.
Melissa’s Produce has introduced Red Heart K-Grapes from South Korea, part of the Los Angeles-based specialty produce company’s luxury line.
Sun World International recently welcomed more than 200 licensed growers and partners to its Center for Innovation in Wasco, Calif., for two field days designed to offer an in-field look at the company’s latest developments, planting trends, performance insights, flavor trends, sustainability and more.
Alongside historic tax cuts, funding increases for farming programs, and deep cuts to SNAP and Medicaid, the specialty crop industry got most — but not all — of what it hoped for in a farm bill.