Specialty Crop Growers Need More Help, Duvall Says

As 2025 came to a close the USDA announced $12 billion in bridge payments to provide some relief for America’s farmers.  But, as many across the Northwest have voiced, the specialty crop industry was noticeably short changed.  American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said while the bridge payments were welcomed news in rural America, specialty crop need more.

“$11 billion will begin to help row crop farmers.  The remaining $1 billion is set aside for specialty and sugar crops, which won’t be near enough to address years of down markets," Duvall said.  " Specialty crops such as tree nuts, fruits, and vegetables have each lost hundreds of millions and even billions of dollars.  And without clear eligibility criteria, the reach and impact of the one billion dollars remains uncertain.”

Duvall said to address the challenges facing farmers, particularly specialty crop producers, Congress needs to provide additional economic assistance and long-term fixes like increased access to international markets and more affordable and reliable labor.

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