The MASC program, administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), provides financial assistance to help offset higher marketing costs associated with the perishability of specialty crops. This includes specialized handling and transport equipment, packaging to prevent damage, moving perishables to market quickly, and higher labor costs.
Eligibility:
To be eligible for the MASC program, you must:
- Be in business at the time of application.
- Maintain an ownership share and share in the risk of producing a specialty crop that will be sold in calendar year 2025.
- Have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $900,000 for tax years 2021, 2022, and 2023, unless your average adjusted gross farm income is at least 75% of your average AGI.
- Comply with the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation regulations.
- Not have a controlled substance violation.
Eligible Crops:
The program covers a wide range of commercially marketed specialty crops, including:
- Fruits (fresh and dried)
- Vegetables (including dry edible beans and peas, mushrooms, and vegetable seed)
- Tree nuts
- Nursery crops, Christmas trees, and floriculture
- Culinary and medicinal herbs and spices
- Honey, hops, maple sap, tea, turfgrass, and grass seed
View the Document MASC Factsheet (290.04 KB)
For more information or assistance with the application process, please contact your local FSA office or visit the USDA website.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact Melissa Bolyard, Garrett County's Agriculture Business Specialist, at (301) 334-7285 or [email protected].
