The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on February 20 that enrollment is now open for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) programme, providing $11 billion in one-time bridge payments to row crop producers. The enrollment period runs from February 23 to April 17, 2026, with eligible producers able to receive payments as early as February 28, the USDA confirmed in a press release (February 20, 2026).
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins described improving the farm economy as USDA's top priority. According to the USDA Farm Service Agency (February 20, 2026), pre-filled applications are available online to producers with a Login.gov account who filed 2025 crop acreage reports by the December 19 deadline. Producers can also submit applications at their local FSA county office.
The FBA is part of a larger $12 billion assistance package first announced by President Trump and Secretary Rollins on December 8, 2025. As the USDA's original announcement stated, the payments are framed as a bridge until historic investments from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act take effect after October 1, 2026, including reference prices set to increase 10 to 21 percent for major covered commodities.
Per-acre payment rates released on December 31 show cotton and rice farmers receiving the highest payments at $117.35 and $132.89 per acre respectively, followed by oats at $81.75 and corn at $44.36. According to the USDA Farm Service Agency (December 31, 2025), payments are capped at $155,000 per person or legal entity, with producers whose adjusted gross income exceeds $900,000 ineligible.
The American Farm Bureau Federation (February 2026) noted that while the programme provides timely relief as farmers prepare for the 2026 planting season, it does not fully cover multi-year losses. Even after accounting for crop insurance and prior ad hoc assistance, the agriculture sector continues to experience multi-billion-dollar losses each year.
Some industry analysts have been more critical. AgWeb (December 31, 2025) reported that Jerry Gulke, president of the Gulke Group, called the payments like a bridge to nowhere, noting a $44 per acre corn payment is inadequate for planting in spring 2026 and may force a shift to soybeans where production costs are lower.
On February 13, Secretary Rollins announced the companion Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) programme, providing the remaining $1 billion for specialty crops and sugar. As the USDA (February 13, 2026) confirmed, the programme covers more than 100 types of specialty crops including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and coffee, with producers having until March 13 to report 2025 acres.
The DTN Progressive Farmer (February 17, 2026) reported that the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance expressed disappointment the $1 billion allocation falls short, noting specialty crops account for more than one-third of all U.S. crop sales. A follow-up DTN report (February 20, 2026) added that the Congressional Specialty Crop Caucus urged committees to pass a $5 billion aid package for the sector.
USDA Under Secretary Luke Lindberg acknowledged the bridge payments are a short-term solution, telling AgWeb that the administration does not want Band-Aid programmes but rather fundamental shifts to the farm economy that allow producers to be profitable for the long run.
For global food markets, the $12 billion support package reflects the depth of financial stress facing American farmers despite the United States being the world's largest agricultural exporter. The bridge payments will influence planting decisions for the 2026 season, with some producers potentially shifting crop mixes based on relative per-acre rates — decisions that could ripple through global commodity supply and pricing.