President Donald Trump’s administration recently announced $12 million in one-time payments to farmers to offset what the administration calls “unfair market disruptions.”
According to a statement from the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), “Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which provides broad relief to United States row crop farmers who produce Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower.”
The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA Program such as specialty crops and sugar, for example, though details including timelines for those payments are still under development.
The announcement indicates, “Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments to be released by February 28, 2026. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5pm ET on December 19, 2025.
Nebraska Farm Bureau President Mark McHargue released a statement shortly after the announcement,

“Nebraska’s farm and ranch families believe in the free market and its ability to reward us for our efforts growing the food, feed, and fiber for consumers across the globe. At the same time, our businesses and our profitability are often impacted by things outside of our control including weather, international trade, and government policies both foreign and domestic.”
“President Trump’s announced plan to provide farmers with a ‘bridge’ payment given the current state of the agricultural economy is truly welcomed by Nebraska’s farmers. At the same time, we remain steadfast in our support for additional policy priorities including advancing Senator (Deb) Fischer’s and Congressman (Adrian) Smith’s efforts to secure access to E15 year-round, and a federal legislative fix to California’s Proposition 12 and Massachusetts’ Question 3, as well as continued work to expand market access both domestically and abroad,” wrote McHargue. “Now perhaps more than ever, Nebraska’s farm and ranch families stand ready to work with President Trump and Nebraska’s congressional delegation to secure these much needed policy victories.”

While the news was welcomed by farmers who have been struggling with falling crop prices, increasing production costs and the loss of multiple markets, others view it as tacit admission that President Trump’s trade policies are failing the American ag industry. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) issued the following statement, “Donald Trump’s trade war is taxing families, killing markets for our farm goods and driving farmers into bankruptcy. Trump’s plan to bail out farmers won’t even get agriculture communities back to even. They’re still paying more for fertilizer, equipment and seeds, while grown-in-the-USA farm goods are facing more obstacles than ever in foreign markets. Don’t forget that all of this trade destruction and taxing was to raise money for Trump’s massive handouts to billionaires and the ultra-wealthy.”