Specialty crops are intensively cultivated agricultural products destined for direct human consumption, ornamental use, or medicinal purposes. This category excludes broad-acre commodity crops like feed corn, wheat, and soybeans. Because they require specialized handling, harvesting, and marketing, they generally offer higher profit margins per acre but carry higher labor costs and market risks.
We're shifting ten acres out of soybeans to trial a specialty crop of organic garlic for the restaurant market.
Related terms
Cash crop
An agricultural crop grown specifically to be sold for profit rather than for the farmer's own use.
Row crop
A crop planted in distinct, widely spaced rows to allow machinery to pass through for cultivation and harvesting.
Market class
A commercial categorization of a commodity based on physical traits and end use.