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On June 27, the White House announced that USDA had begun the issuance of $1.3 billion in Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) payments to growers. The action follows an April announcement that USDA was providing a second round of payments of MASC funding specifically to specialty crop growers.
The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA), co-chaired by NPC CEO Kam Quarles, applauded the release of MASC funds in a July 1 letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins:
“On behalf of the more than 70 organizations representing specialty crop growers across the country that recently petitioned USDA to expedite a second round of payments under the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program, we thank you and President Trump for following through on your commitment to our growers,” the letter read. “The additional $1.3 billion in funding, which was previously announced on April 30, 2025, will provide a vital lifeline to the family farms that produce the safe, nutritious foods that more Americans should be consuming, as well as cultivate the trees, flowers and plants that play a vital role in the nation’s health and wellbeing.
“We cannot overstate the urgency of the situation for the family farms that produce specialty crops in all 50 states. These growers confront a host of unprecedented challenges that have similarly plagued our program crop colleagues.”
