The Society of American Florists has signed on to a broad coalition letter urging President Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to deliver additional financial support to struggling producers as pressures mount.
Growers “continue to face enormously challenging market conditions,” the Oct. 6 letter states. It goes on to say that “while our producers do not want to be in the position of having to ask for more assistance, they do need a bridge to get to improved markets.”
SAF joined a coalition of more than 200 groups — from representatives of major row crops like cotton, corn, soybeans and potatoes to producers of specialty crops such as honey, wine grapes and plant nurseries.
‘We wanted to make sure floriculture is part of the national conversation about producer support,” says SAF Senior Lobbyist Joe Bishoff, Ph.D. “Rising input and labor costs along with delayed policy relief are squeezing every segment of agriculture — and flower growers are feeling that strain, too.”
Bridge to Market Recovery
Despite recent legislative progress — most notably the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which strengthened farm safety nets for row crop growers— many of those producers won’t see its full benefits until October 2026.
In the meantime, the letter warns that growers face a mismatch between market conditions and rising input costs.
The letter presents industry-wide data, noting that per-farm production expenses have risen nearly 40% since 2020 and that Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings increased 56% over the past year. (Those figures are not broken down by sector and are more reflective of challenges facing row crop and commodity agriculture.)
The letter asks the president to “continue to champion domestic market expansion efforts,” noting that while long-term development is essential, many producers need immediate support to remain viable.
Awaiting an Announcement
An announcement on a new aid package was expected last week, but President Trump said the rollout was delayed due to the ongoing government shutdown. Reuters reported last week that the administration was considering providing up to $15 billion in aid, though it is unknown how that aid would be provided, and to which agricultural sectors.
Bischoff says it’s unclear whether potential aid will include specialty crops, which have also been hit hard by rising costs and delayed policy relief.
“Every grower, whether they produce soybeans or sunflowers, needs stability to stay in business,” he says.
Amanda Jedlinsky is the senior director of content and communications for the Society of American Florists.
