Mark L. Brasee
402.978.5306mbrasee@fraserstryker.com email Mark
Of the $12 billion total bridge package, $11 billion is dedicated to the FBA Program, offering one-time, row-crop focused payments expected to reach producers in early 2026.
What Is the FBA Program?
The FBA Program is a one-time bridge payment administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (“FSA”) to help mitigate financial challenges producers faced during the 2025 crop year. The USDA states that it acts as a bridge to more permanent safety-net improvements coming through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OBBBA”) later in 2026. The program uses economic modeling, based on planted acres, cost-of-production data, and national supply & demand estimates, to estimate and distribute payments.
Who Is Eligible?
- Eligible participants are row-crop producers who:
- Filed a 2025 acreage report with the FSA county office by 5 p.m. ET on December 19, 2025.
- Produced one or more of the eligible commodities in 2025.
- Meet the USDA program criteria, including adjusted gross income limits consistent with program rules.
Crop insurance coverage is not required to qualify for FBA payments, though producers are encouraged to participate in the available OBBBA tools.
Eligible Crops
The FBA Program covers row crops such as barley, chickpeas, corn, cotton, lentils, oats, peanuts, peas, rice, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, canola, crambe, flax, mustard, rapeseed, safflower, sesame, and sunflower.
These crops were selected based on economic impacts from market conditions and are the basis for per-acre payments under the program.
How Are Payments Calculated?
FBA payments are based on a per-acre rate tied to:
- 2025 planted acres reported to FSA.
- USDA Economic Research Service cost-of-production estimates.
- USDA World Agricultural Supply & Demand Estimates (“WASDE”) projected yields and prices.
The USDA published commodity-specific payment rates. Top crop rates in the Midwest are $44.36/acre for corn, $30.88/acre for soybeans, and $39.35/acre for wheat, which reflect modeled losses for each crop. Double-cropped acres count but prevented plant acres do not.
Producers will receive a single, direct payment based on eligible acreage and crop type.
Important Dates & Deadlines
- 12/19/2025: Deadline to qualify for FBA payments by submitting 2025 acreage reports for eligible commodities.
- 12/31/2025: Announcement of final per-acre payment rates for eligible commodities. (See: USDA Press Release No. 0255.25)
- 02/28/2026: Expected timeline for FBA payments to be disbursed to producers by FSA.
If you’re a producer or advisor seeking to understand how FBA can aid your operation, don’t wait; confirm acreage reporting accuracy with your local FSA office and review the specific per-acre rates to estimate expected payments.
See:
USDA Press Release No. 0255.25
USDA – Farmer Bridge Assistance Program
This article has been prepared for general information purposes and (1) does not create or constitute an attorney-client relationship, (2) is not intended as a solicitation, (3) is not intended to convey or constitute legal advice, and (4) is not a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a qualified attorney. Always seek professional counsel prior to taking action.