WASHINGTON, D.C. — December 8, 2025 — President Donald J. Trump, joined by top federal officials and farmers from across the country, announced a sweeping $12 billion federal aid package aimed at supporting American agricultural producers still struggling from what the administration describes as years of high costs, trade disruptions, and weakened farm safety nets.
The announcement was made alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, and other members of Congress, as well as farmers from Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Texas.
$12 Billion in “Bridge Payments” to Stabilize the Farm Economy
At the center of the initiative is a one-time $12 billion bridge payment program, administered through the USDA and authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act. The aid is designed to help farmers manage temporary market disruptions and high input costs until major provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) take effect in 2026.
Up to $11 billion will fund the new Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which provides broad relief to U.S. row crop farmers, including producers of soybeans, corn, wheat, cotton, peanuts, barley, lentils, rice, sorghum, and more. Payments will be based on a national loss model using planting reports, USDA cost-of-production estimates, and commodity price data.
Farmers who qualify are expected to receive payments by February 28, 2026, and must ensure their 2025 acreage reports are accurate by December 19 at 5 p.m. ET. Crop insurance will not be required for eligibility, though USDA strongly encourages producers to utilize expanded risk-management tools available under OBBBA.
The remaining $1 billion will be allocated for commodities not covered in the FBA Program — including specialty crops and sugar — with details still under development.
Administration Cites Need for Immediate Relief
Secretary Rollins described the program as essential for keeping American farmers afloat.
“President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind,” Rollins said. “This bridge program ensures farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year while historic trade deals and new price protections take effect.”
Rollins said the program is intended to counteract “four years of disastrous Biden Administration policies,” citing inflation, higher production costs, and a decline from trade surplus to deficit.
Producers can submit questions or request meetings via [email protected].
Additional Actions Taken Since January 2025
The Trump Administration outlined several broader efforts to support farmers, including:
- More than $30 billion in ad hoc assistance through programs such as the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP), Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC), and the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP).
- Over $2.5 billion in block grants for states and sugar producers.
- Expanded crop insurance support, extending beginning farmer qualification from 5 to 10 years and saving producers an estimated $400 million annually.
- Updated statutory reference prices and expanded eligibility for ARC and PLC programs starting in 2026.
- Strengthened marketing assistance loan programs through 2031.
- Historic investments in conservation programs, totaling $34 billion over the next decade.
- Expanded agricultural trade promotion through the America First Trade Promotion Program.
Efforts to Lower Costs, Protect Competition, and Boost Markets
The administration highlighted several regulatory and competitive reforms, including:
- A USDA–DOJ agreement to address high input costs and fight anti-competitive behavior in fertilizer, seed, and equipment markets.
- A presidential executive order targeting price-fixing and foreign influence in agricultural supply chains.
- Changes to H-2A labor rules, which USDA says have already saved producers at least $2 billion in labor costs.
- Nearly $1 billion in Section 32 commodity purchases in 2025 to support food banks and low-income feeding programs.
Biofuels and Trade Expansion
The administration also emphasized its support for biofuels, including year-round sales of E15 gasoline and proposed increases to Renewable Fuel Standard volumes.
On trade, federal officials announced a long list of new or updated agreements with more than 15 countries, improving market access for U.S. beef, dairy, grains, nuts, wine, poultry, pork, rice and other goods. Early gains include:
- A 30% increase in U.S. wine exports to Mexico.
- South Korea purchasing $1 billion in U.S. corn — more than double the previous year.
- Expanded dairy access in Costa Rica and reduced tariffs on bourbon in India.
