Farmer Bridge Assistance Program Enrollment Opens

USDA announced that the enrollment period for the Farmer Bridge Assistance program will be open until April 17, 2026. This program is providing $11 billion in one-time bridge payments to row crop producers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs. The following commodities are eligible: Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. Uses excluded from this program are grazing, experimental, green manure, left standing, or cover crops. Bridge payments are administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency. Pre-filled applications will be available online to producers with a Login.gov account who timely filed their 2025 crop acreage report for eligible commodities. Producers can also request their pre-filled Farmer Bridge Assistance application from their Farm Service Agency county office.