December 2025
On December 8, President Trump and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, a short-term support initiative intended to provide economic relief to producers affected by market disruptions, high input costs and ongoing trade pressures. Below is a summary of the key program details released to date.
Program Funding
- Total program funding is $12 billion.
- Of the total program funding, $11 billion is designated for row-crop and traditional commodity producers.
- $1 billion is reserved for specialty crops, sugar and other commodities not covered under the primary FBA Program payment structure. Additional information on this portion of the program is forthcoming.
Included Commodities
The FBA Program covers planted acreage for the 2025 crop year for the following commodities: barley, canola, chickpeas, corn, cotton, lentils, oats, peanuts, peas, rice, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, crambe, flax, mustard, rapeseed, safflower, sesame and sunflower.
Eligibility Requirements
- Producers must have complete and accurate 2025 acreage reports on file with their local Farm Service Agency office.
- Acreage reporting deadline is December 19, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
- Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) limit: producers with AGI above $900,000 are generally not eligible.
- The statutory payment limit is $155,000 per person or legal entity.
- Crop insurance participation is not required for eligibility under this bridge program.
Payment Structure
- The USDA will issue payments based on a national economic loss model using planted acres, cost-of-production data, and market forecasts for the 2025 crop year.
- Commodity-specific payment rates are expected to be announced the week of December 22, 2025.
- Expected payment date is February 28, 2026, for eligible producers.
Next Steps for Producers
Producers should verify that their 2025 acreage reports are filed and accurate by the December 19 deadline. USDA will release additional payment details and application steps as they are finalized.
Florida Farm Bureau will continue monitoring the rollout of the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program and will provide updates as USDA releases further guidance.