Press Releases

Congressman Scott Franklin (FL-18) commended the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement that $1 billion in bridge support will be dedicated to specialty crop producers, a top request he recently led in a bipartisan letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

“Florida’s specialty crop growers help feed America and support jobs across our state,” said Congressman Franklin. “Our delegation made it clear specialty crops must be part of this assistance and I’m pleased the Trump Administration answered that call. This $1 billion commitment will help our farmers stay competitive, recover from storm losses and keep doing what they do best. When Florida agriculture is strong, our whole state benefits. This is a big win for the growers who make that possible.”

Florida is a national leader in specialty crop input costs, contributing billions to the state’s economy each year. Rising production costs, recurring hurricane damage and invasive plant diseases have created ongoing challenges for producers across the state.

In October, Congressman Franklin led a bipartisan Florida delegation letter with Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03) urging USDA to prioritize specialty crop producers in this assistance. They cited rising labor, fuel and fertilizer costs, invasive plant diseases and shifting foreign markets as major pressures on Florida growers and emphasized the need for support for specialty crop producers. Their letter underscored that family farms growing fruits, vegetables and nursery products are vital to both Florida’s economy and the nation’s food supply.

USDA is expected to announce additional program details, including eligibility and payment timelines, in the coming weeks.

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