The 2026 House Farm Bill Markup delivers meaningful progress for specialty crop producers, including greenhouse and nursery operations. The package strengthens disaster protection, modernizes crop insurance, expands access to capital, boosts research investment, and improves regulatory clarity — all critical priorities for the industry.
One of the most significant updates is the expansion of the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Eligibility now includes trees, vines, and shrubs, and plant pests are formally recognized as qualifying natural disasters. The bill also provides upfront payments to help operations restart quickly and establishes a standing disaster framework. For growers facing freezes, hurricanes, pest outbreaks, or other catastrophic losses, this means faster and more reliable recovery.
Risk management tools are also being modernized. A new Specialty Crop Advisory Committee will guide improvements, including development of frost coverage, prevented planting coverage, greenhouse and nursery system coverage, and revenue protection options. Coverage limits for high-value crops will also be reviewed, better aligning crop insurance with the realities of greenhouse and nursery production.
Access to capital sees substantial improvements. Farm ownership loans increase to $1.75 million, operating loans to $3 million, and microloans double to $100,000. USDA financing may now cover up to 45 percent of land purchases, and loan approvals under $1 million will be streamlined. These changes provide greater flexibility to expand facilities, invest in automation, and support succession planning.
The bill also invests $30 million annually in specialty crop mechanization and automation research, strengthens the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, expands rural energy and broadband programs, and increases export promotion funding and Specialty Crop Block Grants through 2031.
Additional tax provisions enhance after-tax profitability and generational transition planning.
Overall, this markup represents strong forward momentum for greenhouse and nursery growers, reinforcing competitiveness, resilience, and long-term growth.
Source: https://americanhort.org
