Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops

Applications are due by January 8, 2025.
USDA Farm Service Agency is administering Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops, a program that provides financial assistance to specialty crop producers to help them expand domestic markets or develop new markets for their crops. MASC helps specialty crop producers offset higher marketing costs related to the following:

Tenderness and perishability of specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, floriculture, nursery crops and herbs;

Specialized handling and transport equipment with temperature and humidity control;

Packaging to prevent damage;

Moving perishables to market quickly; and

Higher labor costs.

For established specialty crop growers, those who certify crop sales in 2023 or 2024, FSA will calculate MASC payments based on the producer’s total specialty crop sales for the calendar year elected by the producer.