USDA's $1 Billion Specialty Crop Program Includes Coffee—Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and California Growers Have Until March 13
Coffee just made the cut. The USDA’s new $1 billion Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program covers more than 100 specialty crops—and unlike previous federal aid packages that focused on corn, soybeans, and wheat, this one explicitly includes coffee.
For growers in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and California, the deadline to report 2025 acreage to their local Farm Service Agency office is March 13, 2026. Payments will be calculated based on planted acres, with commodity-specific rates expected by the end of March.
A Difficult Season for U.S. Coffee
The timing matters. U.S. coffee production for the 2025-26 season is projected at roughly 17.8 million pounds of utilized cherry—about 20% lower than the previous year, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Hawaii, which produces the vast majority of domestic coffee, has been fighting on multiple fronts. The coffee berry borer beetle, first detected on the Big Island in 2010, burrows into beans and causes hundreds of millions of dollars in global losses annually. Coffee leaf rust arrived during the pandemic in 2020, and according to one Kona farmer, “most Kona farmers lost about half their yield” when it first hit. Some experienced 80% crop losses.
After the Funding Uncertainty
The new assistance arrives after a turbulent period for research funding. Earlier this year, the Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council saw $2.8 million in USDA research grant funds frozen without explanation. A court injunction temporarily restored the funding through March 14, but the uncertainty rattled an industry already under pressure.
The Hilo office of USDA’s Agricultural Research Service also experienced layoffs, including an entomologist and geneticist working on pest management—though both were later reinstated. One longtime Kona farmer described the situation as “an existential moment” for the industry.
How to Apply
The ASCF program doesn’t require crop insurance enrollment. Producers need to:
- Contact their local FSA county office
- Verify their 2025 acreage report is current and accurate
- Submit by March 13, 2026
More information is available at fsa.usda.gov/fba.
Why This Matters for Specialty Coffee
Hawaii’s coffee commands premium prices precisely because of its unique terroir—the volcanic soil, tropical climate, and high-altitude growing conditions that produce Kona’s signature smooth, nutty profile. But those premiums also reflect some of the highest production costs in the world, driven by expensive land, labor shortages, and now persistent pest pressure.
When domestic specialty coffee production shrinks by 20%, it reinforces why these small-scale, high-quality origins deserve protection. The ASCF program won’t solve the berry borer problem or reverse climate pressures. But for farmers who’ve been fighting to keep their trees alive, a payment based on planted acres offers some bridge until conditions improve.
The March 13 deadline is firm. If you know growers in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or California, passing along that date could make a difference.