U.S. government payments to farmers are expected to reach a record $55.4 billion in 2026 — and it looks like Congress might not be done yet. Farmers saw the increased assistance as a result of the impact of tariffs and high input prices tied to two wars.
Farmers will tell you they want their income to come from the market, not the government. This year, they’ve received $12 billion in the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, and in October, they’re getting $13.4 billion in ARC or PLC farm program payments. In November, they’ll also receive $8 billion as part of the Harvest Fuel Relief Program.
Richard Fordyce, USDA under secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, says the new fuel relief program is aimed squarely at fuel costs incurred in the field, not in transportation.
“This program is specifically for helping offset the cost of additional diesel fuel in a farming operation. It’s more specifically for that in-field operation,” Fordyce says. “If we think about a typical corn production system, you’ve got to prepare the ground in a certain way, whether that’s chemical, tillage or whatever, and then planting, certainly, the maintenance of that crop throughout the growing season and then ultimately harvest.”
First Tranche Targets Title I Crops
The first round of payments will target Title I crops.
“Title I includes a lot of crops, a lot that folks probably don’t even know: dry beans, canola, sunflowers, etc. And then the kind of more historic Title I crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, cotton and peanuts. That’ll be the first tranche,” Fordyce says.
Payment rates will be similar to the FBA program and are expected to be out in November. The second tranche will be for specialty crops.
More Aid Could Be Coming
Meanwhile, Congress is still working on another round of assistance for farmers for 2026.
John Newton, vice president of public policy and economic analysis for the American Farm Bureau Federation, says lawmakers are weighing additional relief tied to fuel costs.
“There are a lot of farmers who are dealing with high diesel prices, and we’ve been in close communication with champions in the Senate and the House who were seeking as much as $17 to $20 billion in economic support for agriculture, so there’s the possibility that Congress could still act,” Newton says.
That potential action would add to the record government payment total, which for many farmers will provide a needed bridge to next year.
