Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA)

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is providing $11 billion through a one-time bridge payment to American farmers with an additional $1 billion available for additional commodities. This assistance provides producers with a bridge until the benefits of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) are available. These bridge payments are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act.

Payments expected by February 28, 2026

Important Dates

Dec. 19, 2025 - Past deadline for reporting eligible FBA crops. Note: This only applies to FBA eligible commodities and does not apply to additional assistance that may be provided to specialty crops. 

End of Dec. 2025 - Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month.

Feb. 28, 2026 - Producers who qualify for FBA assistance can expect FSA to start issuing payments

To be eligible, producers must meet the following requirements: 

• Be actively engaged in farming.

• Have risk and interest in the eligible planted commodity.

• Report eligible acres for the 2025 crop year by 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 19, 2025

**Eligible Commodities **

The following commodities are eligible for FBA: Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. All intended uses for FBA eligible commodities are eligible excluding grazing, experimental, green manure, left standing, or cover crops. Below are the payment rates for the FBA eligible commodities that triggered a payment. Crambe had no reported crop acres in 2025 and rapeseed did not trigger an eligible loss.

Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program

What It Is

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is providing $11 billion through a one-time bridge payment to American farmers with an additional $1 billion available for additional commodities. This assistance provides producers with a bridge until the benefits of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) are available. These bridge payments are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act.

Who Is Eligible

To be eligible, producers must meet the following requirements: 

• Be actively engaged in farming.

• Have risk and interest in the eligible planted commodity.

• Report eligible acres for the 2025 crop year by 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 19, 2025

**Eligible Commodities **

The following commodities are eligible for FBA: Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. All intended uses for FBA eligible commodities are eligible excluding grazing, experimental, green manure, left standing, or cover crops. Below are the payment rates for the FBA eligible commodities that triggered a payment. Crambe had no reported crop acres in 2025 and rapeseed did not trigger an eligible loss.

The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA program, though details including timelines for those payments are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs.  Anyone interested in providing data showing economic impacts due to increased input costs or trade disruptions for commodities not named under this assistance can share information via email at farmerbridge@usda.gov

Important Dates

Dec. 19, 2025 - Past deadline for reporting eligible FBA crops. Note: This only applies to FBA eligible commodities and does not apply to additional assistance that may be provided to specialty crops. 

End of Dec. 2025 - Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month.

Feb. 28, 2026 - Producers who qualify for FBA assistance can expect FSA to start issuing payments

How To Apply

FSA is using existing data to provide pre-filled FBA applications to eligible producers. An FBA payment calculator is available to help eligible producers estimate payments.

FBA Payment Calculator

How It Works

FBA payments will be based on 2025 reported 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. Prevent plant acres are not eligible. 

The FBA payment limit is $155,000 per producer. The average adjusted gross income (AGI) limitation relating to limits on payments for persons or legal entities, excluding joint ventures and general partnerships, with certain levels of AGI apply. Specifically, a person or legal entity with an AGI (as defined in 7 CFR Part 1400) that exceeds $900,000 is not eligible to receive FBA payments. 

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

Ensure Your 2025 Acreage Report Is Filed and Accurate.

USDA Crop Acreage Reporting

You must ensure your 2025 acreage report is accurate and submitted by 5 p.m. ET on December 19, 2025. This reporting deadline is critical to be considered for payment.

FSA is using existing data to provide pre-filled FBA applications to eligible producers. An FBA payment calculator is available to help eligible producers estimate payments:

FBA Payment Calculator

USDA will calculate your payment based on your acreage report submitted to the FSA.