The USDA is opening enrollment for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program on February 23, 2026, offering $11 billion in one-time bridge payments to row crop farmers facing market disruptions and higher production costs. This short-term assistance is designed to help farmers bridge the gap until increased reference prices and other provisions from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) take effect later in 2026, providing relief at the start of the spring planting season.

Enrollment runs through April 17, 2026, and applications may also be submitted at local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices.

Eligibility, Program Applications, and Crop Insurance Linkage

FBA payments are based on 2025 planted 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.

All intended row crop uses are eligible for FBA except grazing, volunteer stands, experimental, green manure, crops left standing and abandoned or cover crops.

Crop insurance linkage is not required; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new risk management tools provided for in the OBBBA to best protect against future price risk and volatility. The OBBBA federal crop insurance improvements include expanding benefits for beginning farmers and ranchers, increasing coverage options, and making crop insurance more affordable.

Specialty Crop Assistance

Of the $12 billion being provided by the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, up to $11 billion is being directed to eligible row crop producers and the remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in assistance is reserved for specialty crops and sugar. Timelines for payments to producers of these crops are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs. Producers, including specialty crop producers and stakeholder groups, can submit questions to farmerbridge@usda.gov.

More Information

More information FBA is available online at https://www.fsa.usda.gov/fba or you can contact your local USDA FSA county office.