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Pre-filled applications to roll out by Feb. 28 as $11 billion in one-time aid moves to farms

USDA Sets Per-Acre Payment Rates for Farmer Bridge Assistance Program
Pre-filled applications to roll out by Feb. 28 as $11 billion in one-time aid moves to farms

USDA released the eligible commodity payment rates for the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program (FBA), advancing the next phase of a one-time relief effort aimed at stabilizing farm finances ahead of the 2026 planting season.

The program will deliver $11 billion in direct FBA payments as part of a broader $12 billion assistance package announced earlier this month by President Donald Trump and USDA leadership. Payments are intended to offset elevated input costs and market disruptions while providing lenders and producers greater certainty as spring planning begins.

“Farmers can rely on these payment calculations when they go to the bank to plan for spring planting,” USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said, adding that qualifying producers should see funds deposited byFeb. 28, 2026.USDA said applications will be pre-filled, streamlining enrollment so producers can focus on fieldwork rather than paperwork.

Eligible Row Crop Commodities and Per-Acre Rates

The following commodities triggered FBA payments, with rates calculated using 2025 planted acres, USDA Economic Research Service cost-of-production data, and the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates:

  • Barley: $20.51
  • Canola: $23.57
  • Chickpeas (Large): $26.46
  • Chickpeas (Small): $33.36
  • Corn: $44.36
  • Cotton: $117.35
  • Flax: $8.05
  • Lentils: $23.98
  • Mustard: $23.21
  • Oats: $81.75
  • Peanuts: $55.65
  • Peas: $19.60
  • Rice: $132.89
  • Safflower: $24.86
  • Sesame: $13.68
  • Sorghum: $48.11
  • Soybeans: $30.88
  • Sunflower: $17.32
  • Wheat: $39.35

Eligibility, Applications, and Crop Insurance

  • Eligible acres: 2025 planted acres. Double-cropped acres qualify, including all initially and subsequently planted crops.
  • Not eligible: Prevent plant acres.
  • Eligible uses: All intended row-crop uses except grazing, volunteer stands, experimental plots, green manure, crops left standing or abandoned, and cover crops.
  • Insurance linkage: Participation does not require crop insurance. USDA, however, strongly encourages producers to consider enhanced risk-management options under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which expanded coverage choices, improved benefits for beginning farmers and ranchers, and aimed to lower premiums.

Specialty Crop and Sugar Assistance

Of the $12 billion provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, up to $11 billion is allocated to eligible row-crop producers. The remaining $1 billion is reserved for specialty crops and sugar, with payment timelines still under development as USDA assesses market impacts and economic needs. Questions from producers and stakeholder groups can be submitted to farmerbridge@usda.gov.

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