USDA Announces $12 Billion in Payments to U.S. Farmers Affected by Market Disruptions

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today, Dec. 8, announced a $12 billion relief package designed to help farmers manage rising production costs and ongoing market disruptions. Most of the funds — up to $11 billion — will flow through the new Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, aimed at row crop producers who grow corn, cotton, peanuts, soybeans, wheat, oats, sorghum, canola and other row crops.

Another $1 billion will be directed toward specialty crops and other commodities. Additional program details for specialty crops is expected in the coming weeks.

According to USDA, farmers who qualify for the FBA program can expect payments to be released by Feb. 28, 2026. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 19, 2025. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month.

In making the announcement, President Donald Trump was accompanied by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (AR), Sen. Deb Fischer (NE), Sen. John Hoeven (ND), Rep. Austin Scott (GA), and farmers from Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Texas in making the announcement about the one-time bridge payments to American farmers.

These bridge payments are intended to aid farmers until farm bill provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law July 4, including reference prices set to increase 10 to 21% for major covered commodities such as soybeans, corn, and wheat and will reach eligible farmers on Oct. 1, 2026.

Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the FBA program to provide broad relief to U.S. row crop farmers who produce corn, cotton, peanuts, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, oats, canola, barley, chickpeas, lentils, oats, peas, rice, crambe, flax, mustard, rapeseed, safflower, sesame and sunflower.

According to the USDA, the FBA program applies simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year. This national loss average is based on FSA reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, World Agricultural Supply & Demand Estimates yields and prices and economic modeling.