Farm Bureau: Specialty crop producers need more aid 

ANAHEIM, Calif. — American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall on Sunday called for more aid to specialty crop growers, and the organization issued a report on the needs of fruit, vegetable and nut growers

Referring to the $1 billion set aside for sugar and specialty crops in the Trump administration’s program of “bridge payments” to farmers, Duvall told the membership at the annual convention that Farm Bureau leaders “know that $1 billion for specialty crops isn’t enough. We will continue to work with Congress to bring the relief you need.”

Duvall also told reporters that one reason Congress needs to pass a full farm bill this year is that the U.S. Department of Agriculture officials have complained there is a problem setting up a system to distribute the $1 billion for sugar and specialty crops because data the administration needs has not been collected. 

In a separate session, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden told Farm Bureau members that 2,700 individual sugar and specialty crop producers have reported what they have grown. 

Last week, Farm Bureau’s Market Intel issued a report on the problems faced by almonds, apples, blueberries, lettuce, potatoes and strawberries.

Farm Bureau economist Daniel Munch concluded, “The pressures documented here, rising input expenses, tightening margins, weather and disease disruptions, labor expenses and constraints, and global trade instability, are not isolated problems but structural realities affecting a wide range of crops, including specialty.”

“Without a more responsive and equitable risk-management framework, specialty crop producers will continue absorbing losses that threaten long-term viability, investment and acreage,” Munch said.

“Strengthening support for this sector is not merely an economic necessity; it is essential to maintaining a resilient and diverse U.S. food system.”