WASHINGTON, D.C. (Chambana Today) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins on Tuesday announced the next phase of the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program (FBA), releasing the per-acre payment rates for eligible commodities and confirming that qualifying producers will receive pre-filled program applications and payments beginning in February.

As previously announced, $12 billion will be distributed to American farmers in 2026 through the Commodity Credit Corporation. Of that total, $11 billion will fund one-time payments through the FBA program, with the remaining $1 billion reserved for specialty crops and sugar.

Administration officials said the payments are intended to offset years of rising input and production costs and provide near-term certainty for producers as they plan for the 2026 growing season.

The announced payment rates apply to eligible row crop commodities that triggered assistance under the program. Corn payments are set at $44.36 per acre, soybeans at $30.88, wheat at $39.35, and cotton at $117.35 per acre. Rice producers will receive $132.89 per acre, while sorghum payments are set at $48.11. Additional eligible commodities include barley, oats, peanuts, sunflower, canola, and several pulse crops.

FBA payments are based on 2025 planted acres, Economic Research Service cost-of-production data, and the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report. Double-cropped acres are eligible for payment, while prevent-plant acres are not. Certain uses, including grazing, cover crops, experimental plantings, and abandoned crops, are excluded from eligibility.

Participation in crop insurance is not required to receive FBA payments, though USDA officials strongly encouraged producers to utilize updated federal crop insurance options included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The legislation expanded coverage options, improved benefits for beginning farmers and ranchers, and reduced costs for producers.

USDA said timelines for specialty crop and sugar assistance are still under development as the department evaluates market impacts and economic needs. Producers with questions about eligibility or program details are encouraged to contact their local USDA Farm Service Agency office or submit inquiries to farmerbridge@usda.gov.

Additional information about the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program is available through the USDA Farm Service Agency website.