FUNDING AVAILABLE: Apply Soon for USDA Specialty Crop Funding

By Abby Peltzer

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) recently announced the availability of $2.65 billion in assistance through the  Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crop (MASC) program. Payments for this Specialty Crop Producer program will go directly to those awarded a payout and could be as high as $900,000, depending on the number of applicants.

This program is intended to help specialty crop producers manage higher marketing costs related to various matters, such as higher labor costs, packaging to prevent damage, specialized handling and transportation costs, and the perishability of fruits.

DEADLINE TO APPLY HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO JANUARY 10, 2025

 

ELIGIBILITY

All citrus growers who meet the following requirements are eligible to apply:

  • Have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $900,000 for tax years 2021, 2022, and 2023 unless the producer or legal entity’s average adjusted gross farm income is at least 75 percent of their average AGI.
  • Be in the business of producing a specialty crop at the time of application and be entitled to an ownership share and share in the risk of producing a specialty crop that will be sold in the calendar year 2025.
  • Be a U.S. citizen, resident alien, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or other organizational structure organized under state law, Indian Tribe or Tribal Organization, or a foreign person or foreign entity who meets certain eligibility requirements.
  • Comply with the provisions of the “Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation” regulations, often called the conservation compliance provisions.
  • Not have a controlled substance violation.

 

HOW TO APPLY

All applicants must complete the following form and return it to your local FSA office by the deadline:

All applicants, established and new, must also submit the following information to FSA if not already on file at the time of application:

  • Form FSA-1141 – Marketing Assistance For Specialty Crops (MASC) New Producer Expected Sales Worksheet. Instructions for FSA-1141
  • 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 CCC-942 – Certification of Income from Farming, Ranching and Forestry Operations, if applicable, for the producer and members of entities.
  • Form AD-1026 – Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification) for the ERP producer and applicable affiliates.

For more detailed information, please review the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops Fact Sheet.

 

BRIEFING WEBINAR

FAS will host a webinar next Tuesday, December 17, at 12 p.m. PST to review the MASC program’s details and address frequently asked questions. Registration is required.

Register here: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_lUGQXaKkT56-2jCjesfFZw

If you cannot attend next Tuesday’s webinar, you may also view a recording of the briefing USDA hosted earlier this week to review the MASC program. You may also view the questions and answers submitted during the briefing.

Briefing Recording

Briefing Q&A

 

FIND YOUR LOCAL FSA OFFICE

Tulare County

Fresno County

Kern County

Ventura County

Imperial County

San Bernardino County

Riverside County

If you don’t see your county’s FSA contact information above, click here.

Opportunities like this one are unique. Please don’t hesitate to contact your local FSA office if you have questions.

 

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