President Trump and Secretary Rollins announced a $12 billion one-time bridge package to help farmers manage severe economic strain from foreign market disruptions, inflation, and record-high input costs. The program supports producers until strengthened safety-net provisions under the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) take effect in October 2026, including a 10-21% increase in reference prices.

Funding Breakdown

• $11 billion - Farmer Bridge Assistance Program (FBA) for major row crops.

• $1 billion - Specialty crops & other commodities not covered under FBA.

Eligibility & Requirements

• Eligible crops: barley, chickpeas, corn (including silage), cotton, lentils, oats, peanuts, peas, rice, sorghum,

soybeans, wheat, canola, flax, mustard, rapeseed, safflower, sesame, sunflower, crambe.

• Not eligible: livestock, wool, tobacco, prevent-plant acres.

• 2025 planted acres must be reported to FSA by December 19, 2025 (5 p.m. ET).

• Must have AD-1026 conservation compliance form on file.

• AGI limit: $900,000. Payment limit: $155,000 per person/legal entity.

Payment Structure

• Payments are proportional and uniform across eligible crops.

• Calculated using 2025 planted acres, USDA cost-of-production data, WASDE market projections, and USDA economic loss modeling.

• Double-crop acres ARE eligible.

• Payment rates announced late December 2025.

• Pre-filled applications will minimize producer burden.

• Payments expected by February 28, 2026.

• Payments ARE taxable.

Specialty Crop Allocation ($1B)

• USDA is collecting loss data from specialty-crop groups.

• Funding will be sector-specific and based on documented losses.

• Stakeholders may submit info using the email provided in USDA's press release.

Key Clarifications

• Crop insurance indemnities do NOT affect payments.

• No involvement from county tax offices except rare new-record cases.

• Fall 2024-planted winter wheat harvested in 2025 IS eligible.

• Payments are not first-come, first-served; all eligible producers will receive full payments.

• USDA received full-year funding-payment timelines will NOT be impacted by a government shutdown.

Timeline

• December 19, 2025: Acreage reporting deadline

• Late December 2025: Payment rates released

• Early 2026: Rulemaking + application rollout

• February 28, 2026: Payments issued

For questions or to submit loss data: [email protected]