President announces ‘Farmer Bridge’ payments

WASHINGTON — A $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program to help farmers offset trade disruptions and increased production costs was announced by the Trump administration Dec. 8.

These bridge payments are intended in part to aid farmers until investments from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including reference prices which are set to increase between 10% to 21% for major covered commodities such as soybeans, corn and wheat and will reach eligible farmers next year on Oct. 1.

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. Eastern time on Dec. 19.

Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of December.

In a press call, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials said the program will have a $155,000 payment limit. Producers or legal entities also will have an adjusted gross income cap of $900,000.

Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the FBA Program; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new OBBBA risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.

Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the FBA Program, which provides broad relief to U.S. row crop farmers who produce barley, chickpeas, corn, cotton, lentils, oats, peanuts, peas, rice, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, canola, crambe, flax, mustard, rapeseed, safflower, sesame and sunflower.

The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA Program such as specialty crops and sugar, for example, though details including timelines for those payments are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs.

“FBA will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports,” the USDA said in a release.

“The FBA Program applies simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year. This national loss average is based on FSA reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, world agricultural supply and demand estimates yields and prices and economic modeling.”

The $12 billion in farmer bridge payments, including those provided through the FBA Program, are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and will be administered by the Farm Service Agency.

To submit questions, justification for USDA farmer bridge aid, or to request a meeting on farmer bridge aid, producers can reach out to farmerbridge@usda.gov.

“President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind, so he directed our team to build a bridge program to see quick relief while the president’s dozens of new trade deals and new market access take effect,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

“The plan ensures American farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year. It is imperative we do what it takes to help our farmers, because if we cannot feed ourselves, we will no longer have a country.

“With this program serving as a bridge to the improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made, it will allow farmers to leverage strengthened price protection risk management tools and the reliability of fair trade deals so they do not have to depend on large ad hoc assistance packages from the government.”

Ag Leaders’ Comments

Agriculture group representatives are hopeful this bridge payment will bring some relief to farmers.

“Indiana Farm Bureau is encouraged by President Trump’s aid package announcement for farmers yesterday, which comes at a time when margins are below breakeven for many crops, farm bankruptcies are on the rise and profits will be scarce going into 2026,” said Randy Kron, INFB president.

“This financial support for Indiana farmers will help offset losses and provide a bridge until farm bill enhancements from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act go into effect. We’re hopeful this will help stabilize the farm economy, sustain rural communities and maintain affordable food prices so Hoosier farmers don’t have to go into a new year with even more uncertainty.”

“Wheat growers have endured another year of market adversity and rising input costs. NAWG is encouraged to see the Trump administration delivering much needed assistance to farmers through a simple program for FSA to implement,” said Pat Clements, National Association of Wheat Growers president.

“Right now, timely assistance is critical for farms to make it to 2026. We look forward to working with Congress and the administration to build a policy and regulatory environment where family farms can thrive, not just survive.”

“While we await additional details to assess the impact that the FBA program will have on corn growers, we also need immediate market-based solutions. Congress can quickly take a first step in that direction by passing the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025. The legislation would expand access to fuel with 15% ethanol blends year-round, increasing demand for corn for ethanol and saving consumers money at the pump,” said Jed Bower, National Corn Growers Association president.

“We also encourage the administration to work as expeditiously as possible to secure new trade opportunities that will open foreign markets to corn and corn products.”

“We appreciate the administration’s attention to the challenges farmers continue to face in today’s market,” said Caleb Ragland, American Soybean Association president.

“While we await additional details, we believe the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program is a positive first step to restore certainty as soybean farmers market this year’s crop and plan for the 2026 planting season. We look forward to working with Congress and the administration on broader support for the farm economy, including long-term, market-driven solutions that strengthen demand for U.S. soy and allow farmers to compete and thrive in the global market.”

“This relief will provide near-term support for many farmers working hard just to stay afloat,” said Rob Larew, National Farmers Union president.

“Short-term payments, while important, are only a first step. What we truly need are long-term structural fixes that restore viability and stability to family farms and ranches for generations to come.

“In real time, we are experiencing the consequences of farm policy that is woefully outdated. The farm safety net can’t keep up with today’s economic realities. Input costs remain high, trade relationships are uncertain, access to affordable health care is in danger and the stress on rural communities continues to grow.”