The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Oct. 19 that it will make one-time payments to farmers this harvest season to provide relief during temporary market disruptions and increased input costs. The $8 billion available for payments provided through the Harvest Fuel Relief program is authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and will be administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).
“This $8 billion dollar investment will help bring certainty to our farmers during this harvest so they can continue to feed our nation,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins.
HOW THE PROGRAM WILL WORK
Harvest Fuel Relief payments will be calculated using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2026 crop year. Payment calculations will be based on:
- FSA-reported planted acreage
- USDA Economic Research Service cost-of-production estimates
- USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices
Commodity-specific payment rates for Title I commodities will be released in November. USDA will release payment methodologies for other eligible commodities at a later date.
Producers of non-Title I commodities, including specialty crop growers and fishermen, are encouraged to submit data related to increased fuel costs to HarvestFuel@usda.gov as USDA develops payment rates for those sectors.
PREPARING TO APPLY
USDA has not yet announced an enrollment period. Eligible producers are encouraged to create a Login.gov account and link it to their USDA records in advance to access pre-filled online applications when enrollment opens.
Florida Farm Bureau stated that it encourages farmers and ranchers to monitor USDA announcements regarding eligibility requirements, payment rates and enrollment procedures.
Sources: USDA and Florida Farm Bureau
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