USDA to dole $16 billion in disaster aid for farmers

The government shutdown is over and now more than $16 billion in Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) assistance will be provided to farmers through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency.

This is on top of over $9.3 billion in Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) assistance to over 560,000 row crop farmers and over $705 million in Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) assistance to over 220,000 ranchers.

Stage 2 of SDRP covers eligible crop, tree, bush and vine losses that were not covered under Stage 1 program provisions, including non-indemnified (shallow loss), uncovered and quality losses.

“President (Donald) Trump continues to put farmers first and provide relief to American farmers reeling from the devastating natural disasters that struck across the United States in 2023 and 2024,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. “The continued financial success of our farming and ranching operations is a national security priority. USDA is doing whatever it takes to make good on President Trump’s promise to expedite disaster recovery assistance to U.S. farmers and ranchers, ensuring viability, prosperity and longevity for these men and women who dedicate their entire lives to our nation’s food, fiber and fuel production. The majority of payments from the first stage are already in the hands of producers helping them prepare for and invest in the next crop year.”

The first stage, announced in July, remains available to producers who received an indemnity under crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for eligible crop losses due to qualifying 2023 and 2024 natural disaster events. FSA county offices will begin accepting SDRP Stage 2 applications on Nov. 24.

Producers have until April 30, 2026, to apply for Stage 1 and Stage 2 assistance. FSA is establishing block grants with Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine and Massachusetts that cover crop losses; therefore, producers with losses on land physically located in these states are not eligible for SDRP program payments.

The Milk Loss Program provides up to $1.65 million in payments to eligible dairy operations for milk that was dumped or removed without compensation from the commercial milk market because of a qualifying natural disaster event in 2023 and/or 2024.

Producers who suffered losses of eligible harvested commodities while stored in on-farm structures in 2023 and/or 2024 due to a qualifying natural disaster event may be eligible for assistance through the On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program, which provides for up to $5 million to impacted producers.

The enrollment period to apply for milk and on-farm stored commodity losses is Nov. 24 through Jan. 23, 2026.