USDA Announces $10 Billion in Direct Assistance for Agricultural Producers
Fresno – March 19, 2025
Luis F Garcia-Covarrubias, PhD & Luis Peña-Lévano, PhD
On March 18, 2025, in recognition of National Agriculture Day, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide up to $10 billion in direct economic support to agricultural producers through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP). This program, administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) [1], is designed to offset the financial pressures of rising input costs [2] and declining commodity prices [3] for the 2024 crop year.
ECAP will provide direct payments based on planted and prevented planted crop acres for eligible commodities. The streamlined application process will ensure that funds reach producers quickly, with pre-filled applications sent to those who have already reported acreage to the FSA. Farmers can also apply online or through local FSA offices. Payment rates vary by commodity, with wheat, corn, soybeans, rice, cotton, and various oilseeds among the eligible crops. Fig 1 illustrates the direct payment per acre allocated to each commodity under the ECAP program.
Fig 1. ECAP Payments per Acre by Commodity (2024)
Source: FSA, 2025 [1].
A Brief History of Federal Support for Agriculture
The ECAP initiative follows a long-standing tradition of federal assistance programs to maintain agricultural stability during economic distress. Some notable past programs include:
- Agricultural Adjustment Act (1933) – Part of the New Deal, this program sought to control surpluses and stabilize farm prices through subsidies [4].
- Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) (1933–Present) – Provides financial assistance through loans, income support, and direct purchases to stabilize agricultural markets [5].
- Trade Mitigation Programs (2018–2019) – Allocated $28 billion to assist farmers affected by international trade disputes, including direct payments through the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) and surplus purchases for food distribution [6].
As market conditions continue to fluctuate, federal programs like ECAP play a vital role in helping farmers manage uncertainty and maintain a stable U.S. food supply.
For more information
Farmers seeking assistance can visit fsa.usda.gov/ecap to learn more about eligibility and application details.
[1] U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency. (2025, March 18). USDA expediting $10 billion in direct economic assistance to agricultural producers. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.fsa.usda.gov/news-events/news/03-18-2025/usda-expediting-10-billion-direct-economic-assistance-agricultural
[2] U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (2024). USDA says high farm production costs not easing in 2024. U.S. Senate. https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/newsroom/minority-blog/usda-says-high-farm-production-costs-not-easing-in-2024
[3] U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. (n.d.). Farm sector income forecast. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-sector-income-finances/farm-sector-income-forecast. Accessed on March, 19 2025.
[4] United States Congress. (1933). Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933. National Agricultural Law Center. https://nationalaglawcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/assets/farmbills/1933.pdf
[5] U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2025). Commodity Credit Corporation. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.usda.gov/farming-and-ranching/resources-small-and-mid-sized-farmers/commodity-credit-corporation. Accessed on March 19, 2025.
[6] U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General. (2023). Farm service agency: Emergency relief program – phase one (Audit Report No. 50601-0009-31). U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://usdaoig.oversight.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2023-12/50601-0009-31.pdf
