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eAlert:
Apply Now: USDA MASC Program for Specialty Crops – Expanded Funding Available!
New Deadline: January 10, 2025
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This morning, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced exciting updates to the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) Program.
Key Updates to the Program:
- Deadline Extended: Applications are now due by January 10, 2025 (two extra days to apply!).
- Increased Funding: An additional $650 million has been added to the program.
- Higher Payment Limits: Payment limitations have been increased from $125,000 to $900,000 per applicant.
If you are a California winegrape grower, it is HIGHLY encouraged to check your eligibility for economic assistance through the MASC program.
This program, announced at the end of 2024, offers $2.65 billion in funding to help specialty crop producers like you expand markets and manage higher costs, including labor expenses.
An updated FAQ has also been published.
Staff at your local USDA Service Center will work with you to file your application.
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Funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation, MASC was announced in November alongside the $140 million Commodity Storage Assistance Program for facilities impacted by 2024 natural disasters.
MASC helps specialty crop producers (including winegrape growers) meet higher marketing costs related to:
- Perishability of specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, floriculture, nursey 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.
MASC ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for MASC, a producer must be in business at the time of application, maintain an ownership share, and share in the risk of producing a specialty crop that will be sold in calendar year 2025.
MASC covers the following commercially marketed specialty crops:
- Fruits (fresh, dried);
- Vegetables (including dry edible beans and peas, mushrooms, and vegetable seed);
- Tree nuts;
- Nursery crops, Christmas trees, and floriculture;
- Culinary and medicinal herbs and spices; and
- Honey, hops, maple sap, tea, turfgrass, and grass seed.
To qualify, growers must have an Adjusted Gross Income limitation of $900,000 or below unless 75 percent of their income is from agriculture in which case the income limitation is waived.
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HOW TO APPLY
Eligible producers or legal entities must submit a complete Form FSA-1140, MASC Application to any FSA county office by Jan. 10, 2025. FSA staff at your local USDA Service Center will work with you to file your application.
MASC applicants, established and new, must also submit the following information to FSA if not already on file at the time of application:
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Form AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet.
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Form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan for an individual or legal entity.
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Form CCC-941, Average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) Certification and Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information.
- Form FSA-942, Certification of Income from Farming, Ranching and Forestry Operations, if applicable, for the producer and members of entities.
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A highly erodible land conservation (sometimes referred to as HELC) and wetland conservation certification (Form AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification) for the ERP producer and applicable affiliates.
FSA may request other documentation to support reported specialty crop sales.
Please contact your local FSA county office for any questions you may have about applying.
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PROGRAM PAYMENTS
FSA will issue MASC payments after the end of the application period. If demand for MASC payments exceeds available funding, MASC payments may be prorated, and the payment limitation of $900,000 may be lowered. If additional funding is available after MASC payments are issued, FSA may issue an additional payment.
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.
Payments for new producers will be based on their expected 2025 calendar year sales and must submit FSA-1141 Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) New Producer Expected Sales Worksheet.
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