If you’re a specialty crop farmer growing fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, or other specialty crops — there’s an important update for you: the acreage reporting deadline for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program has been extended to April 24th, 2026.

This is a meaningful step forward and one worth recognizing because farmers like you spoke up and told us about the challenges they were facing.

If you were struggling to complete acreage reporting or unsure how to navigate the process, you now have more time to file. For many farmers, this is the difference between accessing support and missing out entirely.

And if you haven’t filed yet, there’s still time to take advantage of the extended deadline.

Regardless of if you plan to file or are unable to file, we want to hear from you.

We’re continuing to collect farmer experiences. Share what worked, what didn’t, and what barriers you faced.

Farmers across Illinois have already shared real challenges they had accessing the ASCF program. 

Many told us:

• This was their first time completing acreage reporting
• They didn’t have clear guidance or support
• Local offices were understaffed or unavailable to help
• The process itself felt confusing and burdensome

After hearing your challenges, the Alliance brought these concerns directly to leadership at the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Illinois.

Because of those shared experiences and collective advocacy, the acreage reporting period has now reopened for farmers impacted by market disruptions.

It is a small win and proof that your voice matters

This extension doesn’t fix everything. There are still real barriers that need to be addressed, but it’s a clear example that when farmers come together and raise their voices, it can lead to change.

About the ASCF Program

Last summer, Congress allocated funding through the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program to respond to economic pressures in agriculture:

• $11 billion for row crop producers
• $1 billion for specialty crop farmers through the ASCF Program

The ASCF Program was designed to help address:

• Market disruptions
• Rising input costs
• Unfair trade practices

Specialty crop farmers are essential to our local food system — providing fresh, local food, strengthening local economies, and supporting community health. But many faced steep barriers trying to access this support.

Farmers made it clear that the barriers to entry were too high.

In response, we partnered with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and other organizations across the country to bring a unified message to FSA leadership, with three key asks:

1. Keep the door open: We urged FSA to maintain eligibility and waive late filing fees for farmers submitting acreage reports after the original March 13 deadline. Without flexibility, many farmers risked being shut out entirely due to unclear guidance early on.

2. Make reporting accessible: Many farmers, especially those filing for the first time, need clearer guidance and real support. We called for:

• Clear, consistent instructions for completing Form FSA-578
• Access to in-person assistance at local offices
• Flexibility to report square footage, not just acreage, to better reflect specialty crop production
• Training and education to help farmers navigate the process

These farmers are feeding their communities and strengthening our food system. The process should work for them, not against them.

3. Remove unnecessary exclusions: We raised concerns about reported exclusions for crops grown in greenhouses, high tunnels, and hoop houses.

These structures are widely used to extend growing seasons and are even supported through federal conservation programs. Farmers using them are still facing the same economic pressures and should not be excluded from assistance.

While the deadline extension is a step in the right direction, there’s more work to do.

We’ll continue advocating for improvements to ensure this program works for all specialty crop farmers and we’ll keep you updated as we learn more, especially around eligibility changes.

For now, we’re holding onto this win and encouraging you to take advantage of the additional time if you’re eligible.