Trump administration announces $12 billion farmer assistance program UPDATE

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January 5, 2026

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Louisiana farmers experiencing financial pressure from declining crop revenues and high input costs will receive federal assistance through a $12 billion program announced by the Trump administration.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced payment rates this week for the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, with $11 billion in one-time payments going to American farmers in 2026. The program responds to what the administration calls four years of policies that created record-high input and production costs.

“President Trump committed to increase certainty in the farm economy, and farmers can count on these payment rate calculations when going to the bank as they plan for the spring planting season,” Rollins said. “These one-time payments give farmers the bridge to continue to feed and clothe America and the world while the Trump Administration continues opening new markets and strengthening the farm safety net.”

Louisiana crops eligible for assistance

Louisiana farmers growing rice, soybeans, corn, cotton, and other eligible crops will receive per-acre payments based on planted acres. Key crops for Louisiana producers include:

Dr. Michael Deliberto with LSU’s AgCenter said the financial challenges facing farmers require multiple solutions.

“There’s just no cure for the situation we’re in where if we just fix commodity prices or we just fix input prices, it’s really 1, 2, 3, 4 things that are compounding on itself to really produce and generate the situation that we’re in right now,” Deliberto said.

Program details and timeline

Farmers who qualify for the program can expect payments in their bank accounts by February 28, 2026. The USDA expects to begin distributing funding by late February.

Payments are based on 2025 planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production data, and the World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate Report. Double crop acres are eligible, but prevent plant acres are not.

Deliberto said the new program should help farmers demonstrate cash flow when meeting with agricultural lenders before planting season. He expects the assistance to help farmers rebuild cash reserves that many lost in previous years.

Farmers adapting to challenges

Local farmer Donald Schexnayder said producers have adapted to tight margins by diversifying their crops.

“I think most of the farmers these days are diversifying in a lot of different crops. Because it goes in cycles, every commodity out there, you’ve got highs and lows, so it’s just trying to catch it. You know if you diversify in different crops, you might make some money on one and not as much on another,” Schexnayder said.

Schexnayder said farmers appreciate government assistance but understand that programs can change with different administrations.

“We just have to adapt to it. Sometimes it takes a little while for it to get established, and then it goes good for a couple of years, and then another administrator might think we need to do something a little bit different,” Schexnayder said.

The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion assistance package is reserved for specialty crops and sugar, with payment timelines still under development. Producers can submit questions to farmerbridge@usda.gov.