$11 billion in one-time payments aimed at supporting row-crop producers ahead of spring planting
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is opening enrollment for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program, a new $11 billion initiative designed to provide one-time financial relief to row-crop producers facing trade disruptions and elevated production costs.
The enrollment period runs Feb. 23 through April 17, 2026, with USDA emphasizing a streamlined application process intended to speed payments as producers enter the spring planting season. Officials said producers who apply online could begin receiving funds as early as February 28, 2026. Link for background information.
Program purpose and policy context. The FBA program is authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). The assistance is intended as short-term support until longer-term farm safety-net changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) take effect — including higher reference prices for major commodities, expected to increase between 10% and 21% after Oct. 1, 2026.
USDA framed the payments as temporary “bridge” relief aimed at stabilizing farm finances while the administration pursues expanded export markets and broader farm-policy reforms.
How producers apply. USDA is making pre-filled applications available online for producers who:
- Filed 2025 crop acreage reports for eligible commodities
- Have a Login.gov account
Eligible producers can access applications through the FSA website or request forms through local FSA county offices. Online filing allows producers to:
- View and certify acreage
- Submit applications digitally
- Track payment status
USDA encouraged producers to set up or use existing Login.gov credentials to accelerate processing.
Eligible commodities and acres. The program covers a wide range of row crops, including:
- Corn
- Soybeans
- Wheat
- Cotton
- Rice
- Sorghum
- Barley
- Oats
- Peanuts
- Oilseeds such as canola, mustard, sunflower, safflower, and sesame
Eligible acres include initial plantings, double-crop, and subsequently planted acres. Prevent-plant acres are excluded, and grazing, cover crops, and experimental uses are not eligible.
Crop insurance enrollment is not required, though USDA strongly recommends use of risk-management tools that will be expanded under OBBBA.
Payment structure. FBA payment rates — released earlier by USDA — are calculated using:
- 2025 planted acreage
- USDA Economic Research Service cost-of-production data
- World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE)
The structure is designed to reflect both cost pressures and market conditions affecting producers during the 2025 crop year.
Specialty crop program running in parallel. USDA also highlighted the separate Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program, announced earlier this month, which provides similar one-time bridge payments for specialty crop producers impacted by inflation, input costs, and trade-related losses. The acreage reporting deadline for specialty crops is March 13, 2026.
Bottom Line:The Farmer Bridge Assistance program delivers immediate cash-flow support to producers at a time when many operations are managing tight margins ahead of planting season. USDA is clearly positioning the FBA as a transitional policy tool — meant to stabilize producers now while larger farm-bill safety-net enhancements begin rolling out later in the fiscal year.
