top

Specialty Crops

Does your operation include specialty crops? USDA offers a variety of programs and services that support your farm. Whether you grow fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, or nursery crops, we have options for you.

Loans

USDA may be able to help you access capital. And we can be a good partner if you aren’t able to get funding from a traditional lender. 

Farm Loans

We offer loans directly through USDA and also guarantee loans through other lenders.

Loans available directly through USDA range from $50,000 microloans to a maximum of $400,000 for operating loans and up to $600,000 for ownership loans.

Alternatively, you can apply for a guaranteed loan through USDA-approved banks and other commercial lenders. The maximum loan amount for a Guaranteed Farm Operating Loan is adjusted annually each Fiscal Year based on inflation.

Underlined Header
Ownership Loans

Underlined Paragraph Content

Ownership loans are available to help you purchase land and equipment.

Loan Amounts

Underlined Header
Operating Loans

Underlined Paragraph Content

Operating loans help you meet day-to-day costs.

Loan Amounts

Underlined Header
Combined Ownership & Operating Loans

Underlined Paragraph Content

Combined ownership & operating loans help purchase land and equipment and meet day-to-day costs.

Loan Amounts

As a specialty crop farmer, microloans are designed to meet your needs. Microloans can help you make a down payment on land, purchase needed farm equipment, and more.

More information on these loans can be found in our Farm Loan Assistance Tool.

Other Loans

USDA also offers:

To get help, contact the Farm Service Agency (FSA) at your local USDA Service Center

Protection and Recovery

Risk Protection

Agriculture  is an inherently risky business. Farmers and ranchers, no matter the type of crop or size of operation need to regularly manage for adverse weather and financial conditions, marketing, production, human-resource, and legal risks.

Federal crop insurance is the pre-eminent risk management solution for farmers and ranchers providing effective coverage that helps them recover after severe weather and bad years of production. For some farming and ranching operations, crop insurance is the difference between staying in business or going out of business after a disaster.

USDA provides risk protection by offering crop insurance and the Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP). We offer insurance to protect specialty crops including Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP).

To explore crop insurance, contact an Approved Insurance Provider.

Contact a Specialty Crop Insurance Liasison

If you are interested in learning more about insuring your specialty crops, please contact your local RMA specialty crop insurance liaison. Have a crop that isn’t covered by Federal Crop Insurance? You may be able to find coverage through NAP. 

Locate a Whole Farm/Micro Farm Agent

Specialty and small-scale producers can now find a local crop insurance agent who has experience selling Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) and Micro Farm policies.

Whole-Farm Revenue Protection and Micro farm are two of the most comprehensive risk management plans available, and were created for specialty crop, organic, urban, and direct-market producers.

Browse the Whole Farm/Micro Farm Agent Directory.

Disaster Assistance Programs

If disaster strikes, we offer other disaster assistance programs to offset losses and get you back on your feet. For specialty crops, the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) is a relevant program for qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers. 

Emergency loans provide up-front funding to support recovery, and the Emergency Conservation Program covers costs of restoring conservation practices.

For other disaster programs, contact the Farm Service Agency (FSA) at your local USDA Service Center or use the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool.

Conservation

We can help you plan and implement conservation practices to benefit both natural resources and your bottom line.

Planning

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will work with you to discuss your goals and develop a conservation plan for your operation. If you want to get started at home, you can also use our Conservation Concerns Tool to explore the different types of conservation issues that could impact the natural resources and productivity of your farm and conservation practices that might be right for you.

Common Conservation Activities

NRCS can share the cost with farmers to implement conservation activities through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).

Common conservation activities for specialty crop farms include:

High Tunnel

 

High Tunnel is an unheated plastic-covered structure that protects crops from unfavorable growing conditions

Microirrigation

 

Microirrigation is a way to deliver small amounts of water to specific areas.

Weed and Pest Management

 

Weed and pest management helps landowners implement a variety of conservation practices that suppress weeds while building soil health. 

NRCS can also help with practices like crop rotations, cover crops, mulching, nutrient management and no-till or conservation tillage. These practices feed the soil, reduce erosion, improve soil structure, enhance nutrient cycling and water retention, and suppress weeds. Conservation plantings such as field borders, hedgerows, and riparian buffers can help protect water and soil resources and provide wildlife and pollinator habitat.

NRCS can coordinate with farmers’ integrated pest management plans to include insectaries to attract beneficial insects, companion plantings to draw pests away from crops, and installing nesting sites such as bat and owl boxes.

Easements

If certain parts of your farm are not ideal for cultivation, conservation easements or longer-term conservation options may be right for you. For example, the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) helps protect prime farmland from urban and suburban encroachment. 

To learn more about conservation, contact the Natural Resources Conservation Service or Farm Service Agency at your local USDA Service Center

Organics

Are you an organic farmer or a new farmer interested in farming organically? USDA can help organic producers of specialty crops through a variety of programs and services, from farm loans to crop insurance, and conservation programs to disaster assistance. The Organic Certification Cost Share Program can even help with certification costs.

Learn more about conservation opportunities for organic producers.

Find Your Local Service Center

Ver en:

USDA Service Centers are locations where you can connect with Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Rural Development employees for your business needs. Enter your state and county below to find your local service center and agency offices. If this locator does not work in your browser, please visit offices.usda.gov.

Learn more about our Urban Service Centers.

Visit the Risk Management Agency website to find a regional or compliance office or to find an insurance agent near you.