Fruits, Vegetables, and Other Specialty Crops: A Primer on Government Programs

Summary

U.S. farmers grow more than 250 types of fruit, vegetable, tree nut, flower,

ornamental nursery, and turfgrass crops in addition to the major bulk commodity

crops. Although specialty crops are ineligible for the federal commodity price and

income support programs, they are eligible for other types of U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA) support, such as crop insurance, disaster assistance, and, under certain conditions, ad hoc market loss assistance payments. This report describes the federal programs of importance to the specialty crop sector, and provides the most recent funding information available for them.