WASHINGTON—Row crop farmers experiencing financial stress may apply for the Farmer Bridge Assistance program through April 17.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that it will provide $11 billion in FBA program assistance for farmers who grow barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, soybeans and wheat as well as some other nontraditional crops like canola, flax and sunflowers.
The FBA program is authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and will be administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency. Bridge payments are intended in part to aid farmers until investments from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will reach eligible farmers after Oct. 1.
“The FBA program payments are designed to address financial stress that row crop farmers encountered due to high input costs, such as fuel and fertilizer inputs; persistent inflation; market disruptions; tariffs; and foreign competition that often benefits from lower labor costs,” explained Tony Banks, senior assistant director of agriculture, development and innovation at Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.
He added that farmers who raise crops like corn and soybeans are at the mercy of constant price fluctuations and bridge payments will help make up for some of those price differentials.
FBA payments are based on reported 2025 planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production and the World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate Report.
Virginia Farm Bureau
