Harvest Fuel Relief Program

*Details remain preliminary and subject to USDA confirmation.

Program Overview

$8 billion in assistance to address market disruptions and higher input costs.

Funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).

Administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).

Payments and Eligibility

Row crop assistance is expected to follow an approach similar to the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program.

USDA has indicated that payment calculations will use FSA-reported planted acres, Economic Research Service production cost estimates, and WASDE yield and price estimates.

Specialty crops, sugar, and other sectors may also receive assistance.

Expected Timeline            

Payment rates for Title I commodities are expected in November.

Based on preliminary discussions, pre-filled applications for Title I commodities could become available through Login.gov. In January of 2027.

TBD - Awaiting further details from USDA on the payment schedule.

Payment Expectations

Given that the allocated CCC dollars are less than the $11 billion provided in FBA, and that the balance sheet for cotton and peanuts has worsened and rice prices (via the WASDE) have picked up, we would encourage everyone to manage their expectations and note that it would be unlikely for rice per-acre payments to be at or near FBA levels.

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