USDA Announces Major Support for Farmers

Bridge payments aim to ease market disruptions and rising production costs

The United States Department of Agriculture has introduced a $12 billion support package to help American farmers manage ongoing trade disruptions and increased production costs. These challenges continue to affect producers across the country, and the new bridge payments are designed to offer temporary relief until long-term improvements from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act take effect in 2026. 

Of the total funds, up to $11 billion will be directed to the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program. This program offers broad support to farmers who grow major row crops, including corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, cotton, peanuts, rice, sorghum, canola, flax, and several others. The goal is to help producers recover from inflation, higher input costs, and unfair foreign trade practices that have reduced export opportunities. 

The FBA Program uses a simple and uniform national formula based on planted acres, estimated production costs, expected yields, and market prices. This approach helps cover a portion of modeled losses for the 2025 crop year. Farmers who meet eligibility requirements can expect payments by February 28, 2026. 

To ensure timely support, producers must accurately report their 2025 planted acres by 5 p.m. ET on December 19, 2025. The USDA will announce commodity-specific payment rates by the end of the month. Although crop insurance is not required for FBA participation, USDA encourages farmers to explore the new OBBBA risk management tools that will offer stronger price protection in the future. Reference prices for major crops are expected to increase by 10–21 percent starting October 1, 2026. 

The remaining $1 billion in bridge payments will support commodities not included in the FBA Program, such as specialty crops and sugar. USDA is still developing timelines and guidelines for these sectors. 

All bridge payments are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and administered through the Farm Service Agency.  

“The plan we are announcing today ensures American farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year," said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. It is imperative we do what it takes to help our farmers, because if we cannot feed ourselves, we will no longer have a country. With this program serving as a bridge to the improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made, it will allow farmers to leverage strengthened price protection risk management tools and the reliability of fair trade deals so they do not have to depend on large ad hoc assistance packages from the government.” 

"Wheat growers have endured another year of market adversity and rising input costs,” said said Pat Clements, NAWG President. “NAWG is encouraged to see the Trump administration delivering much needed assistance to farmers through a simple program for FSA to implement. Right now, timely assistance is critical for farms to make it to 2026. We look forward to working with Congress and the administration to build a policy and regulatory environment where family farms can thrive, not just survive,” 

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, issued the following statement after attending today’s White House agriculture roundtable where President Trump announced the U.S Department of Agriculture’s farm assistance package: 
 
“Today’s farm assistance package is welcome news as we work to get the farm economy back on track. I applaud President Trump and Secretary Rollins for stepping up to ensure that America’s ag producers have the support they need to feed and fuel our world. I look forward to continuing to partner with the administration to expand trade opportunities that will create strong markets for Nebraska’s ag products.” 

“America's farmers and ranchers need public policies that help them stay profitable and resilient so they can continue their mission of providing safe and abundant food, fiber, and fuel for the world," said Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations Kip Eideberg. "Equipment manufacturers are grateful for President Trump and Secretary Rollins' leadership to negotiate new trade deals, open new export markets for producers, and boost the farm safety net."

Photo Credit: usda