WASHINGTON—Delaware farmers who grow row crops and are facing financial difficulties have until April 17 to submit applications for the Farmer Bridge Assistance program.
The United States Department of Agriculture has unveiled plans to distribute $11 billion through the FBA initiative, targeting producers of barley, corn, cotton, peanuts, soybeans, and wheat, along with alternative crops such as canola, flax, and sunflowers.
Operating under the authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, the program will be managed by the USDA’s Farm Service Agency. These bridge payments are designed to support farmers while they await funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s historic investments, which become available after October 1.
“The FBA program payments are designed to address financial stress that row crop farmers encountered due to high input costs, such as fuel and fertilizer inputs; persistent inflation; market disruptions; tariffs; and foreign competition that often benefits from lower labor costs,” explained Tony Banks, senior assistant director of agriculture, development and innovation at Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.
Banks further noted that producers of crops such as corn and soybeans face ongoing challenges from volatile pricing, and the bridge payments will help offset some of these market variations.
Payment calculations for the FBA program rely on documented 2025 planted acreage, Economic Research Service production cost data, and information from the World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate Report.
Farmers seeking additional details about the FBA program can visit fsa.usda.gov/fba or reach out to their local FSA county office.
