USDA has announced the availability of more than $275 million in grant funding in FY2026 for the specialty crop industry in the United States. 

“At a time when more Americans are demanding whole, nutritious foods aligned with the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, at USDA we are ensuring the farmers who grow these foods have the tools necessary to continue their operations,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is tasked with implementing the program which provides funding for research and extension projects to address the most critical challenges faced by the domestic specialty crop industry. For the first time ever, $20 million will be set aside to fund research and development into mechanization and automation technologies for the specialty crop industry to help reduce labour costs.

Earlier this year, USDA also announced the availability of $1 billion to support the specialty crop industry through the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program. Details will be announced after an April 24 deadline for registering acres by commodity. 

Source:  USDA April 13, 2026 press release