President Donald Trump on Monday announced a $12 billion package of aid to farmers affected by the administration’s trade policies.
Here are some key elements:
What crops are covered?
According to USDA, the new “Farmer Bridge Assistance” program will cover the following crops:
- Barley
- Chickpeas
- Corn
- Cotton
- Lentils
- Oats
- Peanuts
- Peas
- Rice
- Sorghum
- Soybeans
- Wheat
- Canol
- Crambe
- Flax
- Mustard
- Rapeseed
- Safflower
- Sesame
- Sunflower
How will payments be determined?
USDA said $11 billion will be distributed to row-crop producers through the FBA program. The department said the program applies “simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year.”
The “national loss average” is based on FSA reported planted acres, cost of production estimates from the USDA’s Economic Research Service and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices and economic modeling, the department said.
Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month.
Another $1 billion is set aside for commodities not covered in the FBA program such as specialty crops and sugar, USDA said. Details, including timelines for those payments, remain under discussion.
When will payments arrive?
USDA said farmers who qualify for the FBA program can expect payments to be released by Feb. 28. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is “factual and accurate” by 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 19, the department said.