Officials said that they hoped to release the rates for the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program during the last week of December — and sure enough, squeaking in on the last day of the year, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins unveiled the eligible commodity per-acre payment rates. With farmers hamstrung during 2025 by a complex mix of low crop prices, high equipment and crop input costs, and the ripple of a prolonged trade war, the money geared largely toward row-crop producers is aimed to help close the gap in commodity losses.
“America’s farmers have endured a year of rising costs and unfair market disruption, and today’s announcement from USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins delivers real, timely relief,” said Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller. “The Farmer Bridge Assistance Program provides clear payment rates and fast assistance producers can count on as they plan for the 2026 growing season.”
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. However, prevent plant acres are not eligible.
Here are the payment rates (per acre) for the FBA eligible commodities that triggered a payment:
- 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
Crop insurance linkage is not required, however, the USDA said it 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.
“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,” said National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower. “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.”
Although $11 billion was steered toward these row crops, $1 billion is being allotted toward 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.
Row-crop producers seeking more information about eligibility, applications, or payment timelines are encouraged to visit USDA resources online or contact their local Farm Service Agency office.
Pat Clements, president of the National Association of Wheat Growers, added, “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.”
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