AmericanHort asks horticulture industry to request Congress support economic aid for specialty crop growers

AmericanHort is calling on the horticulture industry to help ensure specialty crop growers receive fair and equitable access to federal economic relief programs available to U.S. agriculture.

"Congress is considering additional farm aid, including proposals that would provide targeted relief for specialty crop producers. AmericanHort members play a critical role in helping lawmakers understand why specialty crops — including ornamental horticulture — must be fully and meaningfully included in any new economic assistance package," the organization said in an email. "Your outreach could make a difference as these discussions move forward. Republicans on the House and Senate agriculture committees are working on a $15 billion farm aid package that would include increased funding for specialty crops.

Specialty crops are grown in 95% of U.S. farming counties and contribute more than $75 billion in annual cash receipts, accounting for over one-third of all U.S. crop sales, according to AmericanHort.

"Yet growers continue to face unprecedented pressures, including rising labor and input costs, lost markets, natural disasters and growing competition from imports," the organization said. "Between 2020 and 2025 alone, specialty crop growers experienced sharp increases in pesticide, fuel, fertilizer and labor costs — often without commensurate increases in crop prices. These sustained pressures have left many horticulture businesses operating on thin or negative margins."

Past USDA relief efforts, including the second Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP-2) and the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC), demonstrated that well-designed programs can successfully reach specialty crop growers when payments are structured around individual crop receipts and program requirements reflect real-world business models, AmericanHort said.

AmericanHort said it's urging Congress to ensure USDA builds on existing programs as it considers additional economic aid.

Click here to contact your members of Congress and "urge them to support a robust, equitable economic aid program that delivers meaningful relief for producers of ornamental horticulture specialty crops," AmericanHort requested.

"With Congress’s leadership, USDA could provide timely assistance keeping horticulture businesses and specialty crop farms strong," the organization added.