The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) has introduced a new program that could benefit your organization. The Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program offers $2 billion in funding to help specialty crop producers expand markets and address rising costs. Applications are open Dec. 10, 2024 through Jan. 8, 2025.
What is MASC?
Funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation, MASC was announced in November alongside the $140 million Commodity Storage Assistance Program for facilities impacted by 2024 natural disasters.
MASC covers the following specialty crops:
- Fruits (fresh, dried);
- Vegetables (including dry edible beans and peas, mushrooms and vegetable seed);
- Tree nuts;
- Nursery crops, Christmas trees and floriculture;
- Culinary and medicinal herbs and spices; and
- Honey, hops, maple sap, tea, turfgrass and grass seed.
MASC provides financial assistance to specialty crop growers to address unique challenges that include:
- Perishability of specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, floriculture, nursey crops and herbs;
- Specialized handling and transport equipment with temperature and humidity control;
- Packaging to prevent damage;
- Moving perishables to market quickly; and
- Higher labor costs.
To qualify, growers must have an Adjusted Gross Income limitation of $900,000 or below unless 75 percent of your income is from agriculture in which case the income limitation is waived. FSA will issue MASC payments after the end of the application period. If demand for MASC payments exceeds available funding, MASC payments may be prorated, and the payment limitation of $125,000 may be lowered. If additional funding is available after MASC payments are issued, FSA may issue an additional payment.
There are no other requirements for the money: 1) you have to grow eligible specialty crops as noted above, and 2) meet the income limitations as noted above.
How do I apply?
Eligible established specialty crop producers can apply for MASC benefits by completing the FSA-1140, Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) Program Application, and submitting the form to any FSA county office. When applying, eligible specialty crop producers must certify their specialty crop sales for calendar year 2023 or 2024.
MASC applicants, established and new, must also submit the following information to FSA if not already on file at the time of application:
- Form AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet.
- Form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan for an individual or legal entity.
- Form CCC-941, Average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) Certification and Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information.
- Form FSA-942, Certification of Income from Farming, Ranching and Forestry Operations, if applicable, for the producer and members of entities.
- A highly erodible land conservation (sometimes referred to as HELC) and wetland conservation certification (Form AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification) for the ERP producer and applicable affiliates.
- Other Documentation if requested by FSA to support reported specialty crop sales.
Those who are uncertain or want to confirm the status of their forms, or producers who may be new to conducting business with FSA, can contact their local FSA county office. Further explanation of what is considered by FSA for specialty crop sales as well as an online MASC decision tool and applicable program forms, are available on the MASC program webpage.
Additional information on MASC is available in the Notice of Funding Availability, which went on public inspection in the Federal Register on Dec. 9, 2024.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to offset costs and strengthen your operation.
