| USDA Funding Assistance For Sap (and Syrup) Apply By January 8th, 2025 |
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| USDA FSA Assistance for Specialty Crop Producers- Apply Now USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) just announced a short notice sign-up for the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program, which will provide specialty crop producers with financial assistance to help them engage in activities that aid in expanding domestic specialty crop markets or in developing new markets for their crops. MASC payments are intended to help producers offset the increased costs required to market these products. This short notice program has not specified what dollar amount eligible applicants will receive. The common understanding, at this point, is that FSA has authority to allocated a pool of ~ $2 Billion to eligible producers nationally who apply. Note that “maple sap” is an eligible crop, not specifically “maple syrup”. However, the expectation is that syrup producers can submit information about their total syrup production and USDA FSA will use appropriate formulae to back-calculate the estimated volume of eligible sap harvested to determine the amount for an assistance payment. This is the method that was used when USDA FSA issued relief payments during the Covid pandemic (CFAP#1 and CFAP#2 payments). Please check with your local FSA office as soon as possible to determine if your sap or syrup business is eligible to apply. MASC covers the following commercially grown crops:Fruits (fresh, dried) & Vegetables (including dry beans/peas, mushrooms, and veg.seed); Tree nuts; Nursery crops; Christmas trees; floricultureCulinary and medicinal herbs, spices, or teaHoney; HopsMaple sapTurfgrass and grass seedThe sign-up period started December 10th, 2024, and goes through January 8th , 2025. Farmers can read more about the program by clicking the fact sheet, website and federal forms buttons below. Go to the program website in order to locate your local FSA office. |