Trump Administration and Floriculture: The Latest on Tariffs and the Next Farm Bill
February 26, 2026 On occasion, the editorial team at Greenhouse Grower and Meister Media Worldwide will bring you the latest updates from the Trump administration’s policies and their impact on floriculture, from labor to the farm bill to funding for anything from federal loans to research and Extension. We also want to hear from you. What questions do you have about immigration enforcement, tariffs, or other topics? Let us know, and we’ll do our best to get you answers.
Here’s our update for Feb 26, 2026.
Tariffs Making Headlines Again
The bouncing ball that is tariff policy was in action again late last week, when the Supreme Court struck down the sweeping tariffs that President Donald Trump imposed in a series of executive orders. By a vote of 6-3, the justices ruled that the tariffs exceed the powers given to the president by Congress under a 1977 law providing him the authority to regulate commerce during national emergencies created by foreign threats. Almost immediately after the decision, the president said he would introduce a 10% global tariff rate. He then said on Saturday that the rate would be 15% (no formal action has been taken to this point).
The US has already collected at least $130 billion in tariffs using the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), according to the most recent official data. Amidst the court’s ruling and the president’s announcement, lawsuits are already being filed arguing that tariff costs needed to be refunded.
So what does this mean for the floriculture market and the broader specialty crop community? On Friday, the International Fresh Produce Association issued the following statement:
“IFPA welcomes the Supreme Court’s decision clarifying the limits of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and reaffirming that broad, country-specific tariffs fall outside its intended scope. The global trade of fresh produce is essential to the health and well-being of people in every nation, and today’s ruling helps restore predictability to a uniquely complex, seasonally driven marketplace. While targeted tariffs can be a tool for addressing inequities between trading partners, the broad application of this blunt instrument can disrupt markets, raise consumer costs, and place unnecessary strain on growers and producers across the supply chain. IFPA’s successful advocacy for key exemptions in 2025 underscored the importance of protecting access to fresh fruits and vegetables that cannot be grown domestically at scale or year-round. IFPA does not believe tariffs should be used as a default response to every trade concern facing the United States, nor should this ruling simply prompt a shift to other tariff authorities. Instead, IFPA hopes this ruling allows policymakers to move beyond broad tariff actions and continue working toward lower trade barriers that ensure affordable access to fresh produce and floral products.”
IFPA has provided two resources for industry members: a Tariff Fact Sheet, and an online Tariff Resource Guide.
What the 2026 House Farm Bill Markup Means for Greenhouse and Nursery Growers
According to AmericanHort, the House Farm Bill Markup includes significant wins for specialty crop producers — including greenhouse and nursery operations. These provisions strengthen disaster protection, improve access to capital, expand research funding, modernize crop insurance, and increase regulatory certainty.
Stronger Disaster Protection (Tree Assistance Program – TAP)
- Expands eligibility to include trees, vines, and shrubs
- Recognizes plant pests as qualifying natural disasters
- Provides upfront payments to help restart production
- Establishes a standing disaster assistance framework
- Impact: Faster recovery from freezes, hurricanes, pest outbreaks, and other catastrophic losses.
Improved Crop Insurance for Specialty Crops
- Creates a Specialty Crop Advisory Committee
- Directs development of new tools: frost coverage; prevented planting coverage; greenhouse/nursery system coverage; revenue protection options
- Requires review of coverage limits for high-value crops
- Impact: Risk management tools better aligned with greenhouse and nursery production realities.
Mechanization and Automation Investment
- $30M annually for specialty crop mechanization & automation research
- Enhanced Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)
- Matching funds requirement may be waived
- Impact: Accelerates innovation to address labor shortages and improve efficiency.
An update from AmericanHort also includes information on expanded access to capital, pesticide and regulatory reform, energy and rural development, and trade and market development.
“This House markup represents meaningful progress for greenhouse and nursery growers. It strengthens risk management, improves access to capital, supports innovation, enhances regulatory clarity, and invests in specialty crop competitiveness,” according to the team at AmericanHort. “We will continue advocating to protect and strengthen these provisions as the legislative process moves forward.”
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