By Scout Nelson
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program, aimed at supporting specialty crop producers with financial assistance to handle higher marketing costs. This initiative seeks to expand domestic markets or create new ones for specialty crops in the 2025 growing season. Applications are open until January 8, 2025.
Type of Support:
The MASC program offers funds to address challenges unique to specialty crops, including:
Handling perishability and quick transport to market
Specialized equipment for transport and packaging
Preventing product damage during distribution
Managing higher labor costs
Eligible Crops:
MASC covers a wide range of commercially marketed specialty crops in the U.S., including:
Fruits (fresh or dried) and vegetables (including seeds and mushrooms)
Tree nuts, nursery crops, and floriculture (e.g., Christmas trees)
Culinary and medicinal herbs, spices, honey, hops, and tea
Other specialty crops such as maple sap, turfgrass, and grass seed
Eligibility Criteria:
Producers or entities must meet specific requirements to qualify for MASC, including:
An average adjusted gross income (AGI) is below $900,000 for tax years 2021-2023 unless 75% of their AGI comes from farming.
Being actively involved in producing specialty crops and sharing production risks.
Complying with conservation regulations and having no controlled substance violations.
Meeting legal entity and citizenship/residency requirements.
MASC ensures that specialty crop producers can meet the costs of marketing their products efficiently, helping the industry remain competitive. Interested participants can learn more and apply at the USDA’s MASC program website.
Photo Credit:usda
Categories: South Dakota, Business