Clarification: Per-Acre Payment Rates for Farmer Bridge Assistance Program… & More Info
Pre-filled applications by Feb. 28 as $11 billion in one-time aid; Key lawmaker comments
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. e. These bridge payments are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act.
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:
Of note: All intended uses for FBA eligible commodities are eligible excluding grazing, volunteer stands, experimental, green manure, left standing, abandoned or cover crops.
Below are the payment rates for the FBA eligible commodities that triggered a payment. Crambe had no reported crop acres in 2025, and rapeseed did not trigger an eligible loss.
- 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. Be actively engaged in farming. Have risk and interest in the eligible planted commodity. Reported eligible acres for the 2025 crop year by 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 19, 2025.
- 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.
How To Apply
FSA is using existing data to provide pre-filled FBA applications to eligible producers. An FBA payment calculator is available to help eligible producers estimate payments.
How It Works
FBA payments will be based on 2025 reported acres, Economic Research Service cost of production, and the World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate Report.
Double crop acres, including all initial and subsequently planted crops, are eligible. Prevent plant acres are not eligible.
The FBA payment limit is $155,000 per producer. The average adjusted gross income (AGI) limitation relating to limits on payments for persons or legal entities, excluding joint ventures and general partnerships, with certain levels of AGI apply. Specifically, a person or legal entity with an AGI (as defined in 7 CFR Part 1400) that exceeds $900,000 is not eligible to receive FBA payments.
As noted, crop insurance linkage is not required; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new OBBBA risk management tools to best protect against future price risk and volatility.
Additional context:
Bridge to a stronger safety net. Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) payments are designed as a temporary bridge to a significantly strengthened farm safety net under both the farm bill and crop insurance. Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) have been bolstered, and premium support has been meaningfully increased for both individual and area-wide crop insurance plans. Enhanced PLC and ARC benefits will be reflected in October payments for the 2025 crop year, while crop insurance improvements are already taking effect.
Expectation of supplemental congressional aid. Key lawmakers have indicated that some level of additional congressional assistance will likely be needed to complement USDA’s FBA. Clarification: The USDA rates announced today are the final rates. The factoring needed to fit within budget has already been baked into the rates announced today. Not all commodities are covered by the $11 billion FBA program; those excluded are currently slated to share in a separate $1 billion USDA initiative, with details still forthcoming, and may ultimately need to be addressed legislatively. Lawmakers could also seek to bolster support for FBA-eligible crops if gaps or shortcomings emerge. Senate Ag Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) said: “This represents an important step by USDA delivering critical short-term funding to family farmers facing multiple years of rising input costs, economic uncertainty and market disruptions. These bridge payments will help producers manage financial pressures until farm safety net enhancements approved in the One Big Beautiful Bill are realized in the fall. I look forward to returning to Washington next week and working with my colleagues to ensure our producers have the resources they need to keep farming.”
Legislative timing and vehicle. Any supplemental package would likely be pursued alongside efforts to finalize FY 2026 appropriations in January, which could also serve as a vehicle to address other outstanding policy priorities.
Paul Neiffer, CPA Farm Report, notes the following: “There are several concerns for larger producers that have arisen in this program as follows:
o “Number 1 and most important is that LLCs, S and C corporations and other legal entities will be limited to one $155,000 payment. If the farm had 4 equal owners operating as a general partnership, then it appears they would qualify for up to 4 payment limits or $620,000. If the farm is a legal entity, then it only gets one payment limit of $155,000.”
o “OBBBA had increased the payment limits to reflect the number of owners in LLCs, LLPs, S corporations, etc. but that was only for ARC and PLC payments. This change started with the 2025 crop year (our assumption to be verified by USDA). We believe that USDA likely elected to use the old rules to either increase the payment rates or penalize larger producers.”
o “It also appears that you can’t get your money until the end of February. The Q&A section indicates that the prefilled application will be mailed the week of February 23. They did not indicate a deadline, just that payments likely will start [by] the end of February.”
Comments: Initial feedback is on the statement that “a person or legal entity with an AGI (as defined in 7 CFR Part 1400) that exceeds $900,000 is not eligible to receive FBA payments.”
As for timing of the payments, one source said: “We might need to reset our expectations. ECAP was released within 3 months, so now the talking heads think it should all be done crazy fast. This is the government we are talking about… 2 months is lightning speed. Not to mention, they said “BY February 28.” So, we’ll see if they can get it done ahead of time. If they don’t, I’m sure it’s entirely because of all the processing time it takes to get through all the minutiae.”
| Frequently Asked Questions Q. Will the landowner receive a payment? A. This assistance is intended for producers who have a share interest and risk in producing the crop. Q. Are all intended uses eligible? A. All intended uses are eligible with the exception of grazing, abandoned, left standing, volunteer, experimental, green manure, and cover only crops. Q. Will the producer receive an application?A. A pre-filled application will be available for producers on record as having filed an acreage report for an eligible commodity. The producer will then need to verify that the information on the application is correct. Q. When will pre-filled applications be available?A. It is intended that prefilled applications will be available the week of Feb. 23. Q. Do the highly erodible land and wetland provisions (HELC/WC) apply?A. Yes Q. Are double crop and subsequent crop acres eligible?A. Yes, initial and subsequently planted crops will be eligible regardless of being located in an approved double cropping area. Q. Can I file an FSA-578 late filed acreage report with FSA after December 19th for the FBA program?A. An FSA-578 late filed acreage report can be filed after Dec. 19, 2025; however, that acreage will not be eligible for Farmer Bridge Assistance. Q. Why aren’t prevent plant acres included?A. CCC funds may be expended under the Charter Act only as authorized in that act; there must be an affirmative grant of authority for expenditures. There is no authority in the Charter Act that specifies the use of CCC for losses due to natural disasters. Q. Does the $900,000 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) provisions apply to FBA?A. Yes, producers having an average AGI exceeding $900,000 will be ineligible. Q. What is the payment limitation for FBA?A. The per person payment limitation for FBA is $155,000. Q. How will entities be treated under FBA?A. Entities such as corporations, limited liability corporations, S corporations, trusts, will be limited to $155,000. |
