WALB is working to produce a video for this story. In the meantime, we encourage you to watch our livestream.

SOUTH GEORGIA (WALB) - Specialty crop growers across South Georgia could be left waiting for federal relief, even as billions of dollars in aid move quickly to other parts of the agriculture industry.

Congressman Sanford Bishop (GA-02) is leading a bipartisan effort urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide equitable and timely assistance to specialty crop producers under the newly announced Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program.

According to the release, the USDA program allocates $12 billion in total assistance — $11 billion for row crop producers, while $1 billion is reserved for specialty crops and other commodities. While payments for row crops are expected as early as February 28, 2026, details surrounding eligibility, payment formulas, and timelines for specialty crops remain unclear.

Specialty crops play major role in Georgia agriculture

Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture products — crops that are both labor-intensive and economically significant.

According to congressional leaders, specialty crop producers generate more than $75 billion annually in cash receipts nationwide. In Georgia, crops such as pecans, blueberries, vegetables, and nursery plants are key drivers of rural economies, particularly in South Georgia.

Despite their economic impact, growers have faced mounting costs without comparable increases in crop prices.

Between 2020 and 2025, specialty crop producers paid:

• 25% more for pesticides
• 31% more for fuel
• 37% more for fertilizer
• Nearly 50% more for labor

Lawmakers demand transparency and urgency

Bishop, along with more than 100 members of Congress, sent a bipartisan letter to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees calling on USDA to ensure the $1 billion set aside for specialty crops is distributed quickly, fairly, and equitably.

In the letter, lawmakers stressed that growers need immediate clarity as they plan for upcoming planting seasons, warning that continued delays could place additional financial strain on farms already facing labor shortages, rising costs, and market disruptions.

“Specialty crop growers contribute over $75 billion annually to the U.S. economy, yet they continue to face unprecedented challenges,” the caucus wrote, urging USDA to build on previous relief programs that delivered aid efficiently.

Calls to build on proven relief models

Lawmakers and agriculture groups are urging USDA to model specialty crop payments after past programs such as the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP-2) and the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) Program, which used tailored formulas and streamlined delivery systems.

Advocates say those programs demonstrated that relief can reach growers quickly when designed specifically for specialty crop operations.

As Congress presses for answers, specialty crop growers in South Georgia remain in limbo — waiting to learn when, or how, federal relief will arrive.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Copyright 2025 WALB. All rights reserved.