How You Can Support Relief for Specialty Crop Growers
December 12, 2025 AmericanHort is asking for assistance from across the floriculture industry to ensure specialty crop growers receive fair and equitable access to the federal economic relief programs available to U.S. agriculture.
The following is a statement from the AmericanHort Advocacy and Government Affairs team:
“Representatives Rouzer (R-NC-07) and Costa (D-CA-21) are circulating a bipartisan letter urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide targeted assistance that reflects the unique needs of specialty crop growers. We need all Members of Congress in the House of Representatives from specialty crop regions to sign this important letter. Your outreach can make a critical difference.
Specialty crops are grown in 95% of U.S. farming counties and contribute more than $75 billion in annual cash receipts. Yet growers continue to face unprecedented pressures, from rising input costs and labor shortages to natural disasters and trade barriers.
Between 2020 and 2025 alone, growers saw:
- 25% increase in pesticide costs
- 31% increase in fuel
- 37% increase in fertilizer
- Nearly 50% increase in labor
These all came without commensurate price increases.
Past USDA relief efforts, such as the second Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP-2) and the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC), demonstrated that well-designed programs can reach our growers effectively. We request Congress to help ensure USDA follows these successful models again.
Specialty crop growers have weathered years of rising costs and ongoing uncertainty. Please take a moment today to contact your elected official in the House of Representatives and urge them to sign the specialty crop relief letter led by Representatives Rouzer (R-NC-07) and Costa (D-CA-21).
With Congress’s leadership, USDA can once again deliver relief that keeps our farms and businesses strong.
Thank you for taking action and supporting America’s specialty crop industry.”
Click here to learn more.
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