(WASHINGTON D.C.) — Just ahead of the new year this week, USDA announced the payment rates for the Farmer Bridge Assistance program. Price levels ranged from over $100 per acre for cotton and rice to $44.36 for corn, $30.88 for soybeans and $39.35 for wheat.
Reaction to the FBA payment rates has been coming in over the last several days, with a wide reaction to the news. In a statement, National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower thanks USDA for the FBA program while calling on the administration and Congress to develop new markets for producers. “We are appreciative of Secretary Rollins and the USDA for creating the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, which begins to assist growers facing economic pain and hardships,” said Bower. “Corn growers have been sounding the alarm about the fact that farmers have been faced with multiple consecutive years of low corn prices and high input costs. While this financial assistance is helpful and welcomed, we urgently need the administration and Congress to develop markets in the United States and abroad that will provide growers with more long-term economic certainty.”
“Wheat growers are closing the books on a difficult year marked by extremely high input costs and stubbornly low wheat prices. NAWG appreciates the Trump administration’s response to the market challenges facing farm families and its efforts to deliver much-needed assistance. While the rates announced today do not come close to making wheat farmers whole for the per-acre losses experienced in 2025, the $39.35 per-acre payment for planted wheat will help lighten the blow of a challenging year,” said Pat Clements, National Association of Wheat Growers President. “As we look ahead to 2026, NAWG is eager to work with Congress and the administration to build a policy environment that provides regulatory certainty, allows wheat growers to achieve positive returns on their crops, supports robust trade policies that keep U.S. wheat competitive in global markets, and helps farmers begin paying down debt incurred after years of market adversity.”
According to USDA, FBA payments are based on 2025 planted 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. All intended row crop uses are eligible for FBA except grazing, volunteer stands, experimental, green manure, crops left standing and abandoned or cover crops.
Crop insurance linkage is not required; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new risk management tools provided for in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) to best protect against future price risk and volatility. The OBBBA federal crop insurance improvements include expanding benefits for beginning farmers and ranchers, increasing coverage options, and making crop insurance more affordable.
Sorghum has been one of many commodities impacted by trade issues between the U.S. and China. That commodity is eligible for a payment rate of $48.11 per acre under the program.
“National Sorghum Producers appreciates the administration’s support of sorghum farmers during a year marked by significant trade disruption and economic uncertainty,”said National Sorghum Producers Chair Amy France, a farmer from Scott City, Kan. “These payments provide near-term certainty while longer-term improvements to the farm safety net and risk management tools take effect. That stability matters as growers plan for the upcoming planting season and work through the impacts of a year of lost international trade.”
“At the same time, we’re encouraged to see international demand beginning to re-emerge,” said Tim Lust, CEO of National Sorghum Producers. “U.S. sorghum exports have exceeded one million metric tons in just the past few weeks, which is a positive signal for growers as global markets begin to reopen.”
The National Cotton Council (NCC) appreciates the timely announcement of payment rates under the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program, an important development for U.S. cotton producers. The FBA rate for cotton of $117.35 per planted acre offers critical support to growers as they navigate current market conditions and production costs.
“The FBA program provides a welcome and much-needed level of assistance for cotton growers,” said NCC Chairman Patrick Johnson. “This support is critical for producers struggling to manage current economic pressures and will give lenders and growers the confidence to continue to invest in cotton. We greatly appreciate the consideration given by President Trump and Secretary Rollins in addressing the needs of U.S. cotton producers.”
U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) said in a statement that the payment rate announcement was an important step. “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,” according to Senator Boozman. “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.”
Eligible Row Crop Commodities and Payment Rates:
Below are the payment rates for the FBA eligible commodities that triggered a payment.
Commodity, Per Acre Payment Rates
• 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
Specialty Crop Assistance
Of the $12 billion being provided by the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, up to $11 billion is being directed to eligible row crop producers and the remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in assistance is reserved for specialty crops and sugar. Timelines for payments to producers of these crops are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs. Producers, including specialty crop producers and stakeholder groups, can submit questions to farmerbridge@usda.gov.
More information FBA is available online at https://www.fsa.usda.gov/fba
