Rule2026-03456
Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 23, 2026
Effective
February 23, 2026
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentCommodity Credit Corporation
Abstract
The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is issuing this rule to provide $11 billion in one-time bridge payments to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs. Payments under the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program are intended in part to aid producers until assistance from provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), notably increases in reference prices to major covered commodities, reach eligible famers after October 1, 2026.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 35 (Monday, February 23, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8360-8368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-03456]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Commodity Credit Corporation
7 CFR Part 1414
[Docket ID FSA-2026-0001]
RIN 0560-AI87
Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program
AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA).
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is issuing this rule to
provide $11 billion in one-time bridge payments to American farmers in
response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production
costs. Payments under the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program are
intended in part to aid producers until assistance from provisions in
the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), notably increases in reference
prices to major covered commodities, reach eligible famers after
October 1, 2026.
DATES: This rule is effective on February 23, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Walter; telephone: (816) 491-
6934; or email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f7ba9e949f96929bd9a0969b839285c6b782849396d9909881"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="460b2f252e27232a6811272a32233477063335222768212930">[email protected]</span></a>. Individuals with disabilities
who require alternative means for communication should contact the USDA
Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and text telephone (TTY mode))
or dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Service (both voice and text
telephone users can initiate this call from any telephone).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Background
II. How To Apply
III. Payment Limitation and Payment Eligibility
IV. Regulatory Analyses
A. Notice and Comment and Effective Date
B. Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and 14192
C. Cost Benefit Analysis Summary
D. Environmental Review
E. Executive Order 13175
F. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
G. Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
H. E-Government Act Compliance
I. Background
CCC will make $11 billion available in one-time bridge payments to
American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and
increased production costs that are still impacting farmers. These
bridge payments are intended in part to aid farmers until historic
investments from the OBBBA (Pub. L. 119-21), including reference prices
which are set to increase between 10-21 percent for major covered
commodities such as soybeans, corn, and wheat, reach eligible farmers
after October 1, 2026. Eligible producers are those who: (1) produced
2025 crops of barley, canola, chickpeas, corn, cotton, crambe, flax,
lentils, mustard, oats, peanuts, peas, rapeseed, rice, safflower,
sesame, sorghum, soybeans, sunflower, and wheat (referred to as
``eligible commodities'' in this rule); (2) have timely filed a crop
acreage report with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) by December 19, 2025,
specifying the acreage planted to each eligible commodity in crop year
2025; and (3) comply with other requirements specified in this rule.
The FBA Program will help address market disruptions, elevated
input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses. The FBA Program
applies simple, proportional assistance to producers using a uniform
formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year.
This national loss average is based on FSA timely reported planted
acres, Economic Research Service (ERS) cost of production estimates,
World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) yields and
prices (for many crops), and economic modeling (for crops not covered
in WASDE or for which ERS cost of production data are unavailable).
Producers are not required to purchase crop insurance or Noninsured
Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage to be eligible for the
FBA Program; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage
of the new OBBBA risk management tools to best protect against price
risk and volatility in the future. CCC intends to issue FBA Program
payments to eligible producers in early 2026.
The Agricultural Act of 2014 (``2014 Act''; Pub. L. 113-79)
authorized assistance to producers of specified commodities under the
Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and the Price Loss Coverage (PLC)
Programs for the 2014 through 2018 crop years. Generally, these
programs provide assistance when market prices are less than specified
``effective prices'' set forth in the 2014 Act. The ARC Program
provides payments when actual crop revenues fall below a specified
guarantee level, while the PLC Program provides payments when the
national average market price (or the national average loan rate, if
higher) for a given covered commodity falls below a specified effective
reference price for that commodity.
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-334) extended
these programs through the 2023 crop year, and subsequent 1-year
extensions authorized continuation of the programs through the 2025
crop year (Pub. L. 118-22; Pub. L. 118-158). While these acts made
minor changes to the structure of the ARC and PLC Programs, statutory
reference prices were not updated to reflect changes in market prices
that had occurred since the enactment of the 2014 Act (see Table 1).
Since the enactment of the 2014 Act, there have been major changes
in commodity markets and the price of inputs required to produce
covered commodities included in the ARC and PLC Programs. During the
past four years the costs associated with the production of these
commodities have increased significantly. Recognizing these changes in
markets, and specifically the increase in input costs, the OBBBA
increased the statutorily established reference prices used to
administer these programs for the 2025 through 2030 crop years.
[[Page 8361]]
Table 1--Reference Prices for ARC and PLC Program Covered Commodities
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Reference price
Covered commodity -------------------------------- Unit
2014-2024 2025-2030 *
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Barley........................................ $4.95 $5.45 Dollars/Bushel.
Canola........................................ 20.15 23.75 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Chickpeas, Large.............................. 21.54 25.65 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Chickpeas, Small.............................. 19.04 22.65 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Corn.......................................... 3.70 4.10 Dollars/Bushel.
Crambe........................................ 20.15 23.75 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Dry Peas...................................... 11.00 13.10 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Flaxseed...................................... 20.15 23.75 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Grain Sorghum................................. 3.95 4.40 Dollars/Bushel.
Lentils....................................... 19.97 23.75 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Mustard Seed.................................. 20.15 23.75 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Oats.......................................... 2.40 2.65 Dollars/Bushel.
Peanuts....................................... 535.00 630.00 Dollars/Ton, Short (2,000 lbs.).
Rapeseed...................................... 20.15 23.75 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Rice, Long Grain.............................. 14.00 16.90 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Rice, Medium Grain............................ 14.00 16.90 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Rice, Temperate Japonica **................... 17.30 24.33 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Safflower..................................... 20.15 23.75 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Seed Cotton **................................ 0.367 0.42 Dollars/Pound.
Sesame Seed................................... 20.15 23.75 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Soybeans...................................... 8.40 10.00 Dollars/Bushel.
Sunflower Seed................................ 20.15 23.75 Dollars/Hundredweight.
Wheat......................................... 5.50 6.35 Dollars/Bushel.
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* Reference prices are automatically increased by 1.005 starting in 2031.
** The temperate japonica rice reference price was updated in crop year 2019 from $16.10 to $17.30. Seed cotton
became a covered commodity in crop year 2018.
Producers of many covered commodities, especially soybeans and
corn, have been subject to market-distorting actions of foreign
governments. Imposition of tariffs and delayed purchases have affected
the ability of U.S. producers to export, thus reducing domestic prices
of 2025 crops. While the increase in reference prices will provide
increased protection to producers of 2025 and subsequent crops,
payments under ARC and PLC are not made until after October 1 of the
year following the year in which the crop was produced. Accordingly,
payments for 2025 crop production will not be made until after October
1, 2026. These producers are currently making planting and financing
decisions regarding 2026 crops, and this delayed payment process
creates substantial obstacles for many producers who rely on these
payments to maintain their farming operations.
To sustain producers until these payments are made, the Department
has determined that additional assistance for these producers is
necessary. Section 5(b) of the CCC Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714c(b))
provides that CCC may use its funds to ``(m)ake available materials and
facilities required in connection with the production and marketing of
agricultural commodities (other than tobacco).'' Accordingly, $11
billion of CCC funds will be used to assist producers under the FBA
Program.
In order to ensure that producers may receive assistance as they
make 2026 crop financing decisions, CCC will calculate payments using
the 2025 planted acreage producers reported to FSA on FSA-578, Report
of Crop Acreage, by December 19, 2025. Use of the 2025 timely reported
acreage not only expedites making these payments, but also ensures that
issuing the payments does not distort 2026 crop planting decisions.
Acreage that is timely reported as an initial, double-crop, or
subsequent commodity will be eligible for FBA Program payments. Acreage
that is reported as a cover crop or with an intended use of grazing,
left standing, volunteer, green manure, or experimental will not be
eligible for FBA Program payments.
Payments for a producer will be calculated by multiplying the
applicable payment rate for an eligible commodity by the eligible
acreage timely reported for the commodity on the FSA-578.
CCC has calculated a payment rate for each eligible commodity using
a 30.41 percent factor, which reflects the share of expected economic
loss covered by FBA funding. This factor is used so that total payments
do not exceed the $11 billion in program funding and is based on
eligible acres per commodity.
The payment calculation for each eligible crop requires data on
expected cost of production per acre and the expected gross return
(crop yield multiplied by price) per acre. Where available, the
expected cost of production per acre for a commodity is equal to the
2025 crop year ``total cost'' forecast in the ``National Average Cost-
of-Production Forecasts for Major U.S. Field Crops'' data product
published by ERS.\1\ The expected gross return per acre for a commodity
is equal to the projected average farm price for the commodity for the
2025 through 2026 marketing year, taken from the December 9, 2025 WASDE
report,\2\ multiplied by the national average harvested yield per acre
for the commodity for the 2025 crop year.\3\ The net gross return is
the gross return minus the expected cost of production.
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\1\ The ERS data product is ``Cost-of-production forecasts for
major U.S. field crops, 2025F-2026F'' updated on December 18, 2025,
available at <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns">https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns</a>.
\2\ Projected average farm prices for eligible and available
commodities for the 2025 through 2026 marketing year were taken from
the December 9, 2025, report, available at <a href="https://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/wasde1225.pdf">https://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/wasde1225.pdf</a>.
\3\ Crop year 2025 harvested yields were calculated using 2025
yield estimates from USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS). For those crops where a 2025 harvested yield estimate is not
yet available, the Olympic average of NASS data for 2020-2024 was
used.
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[[Page 8362]]
An example of the resulting payment calculation for corn is shown
in Table 2.
Table 2--Corn Example Payment Rate Calculations; Variables for FBA Payment Calculations and Final Payment Rate
[Per acre]
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Forecasted cost of Economic loss using Payment rate using
Crop 2025 Harvested yield Price forecast production 30.41 percent factor 30.41 percent factor
(a)................... (b)................... (c).................. ((a * b)-c) * 0.3041. (a * b)-c * 0.3041
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Corn............................... 186 bushels per acre.. $4.00 per bushel...... $889.88 per acre..... -$44.36 per acre..... $44.36 per acre.
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To start, the net gross return for corn is calculated:
Net Gross Return for Corn = (a * b) = (186 * $4.00) = $744.00 (a * b)-c
= $744-$889.88 = -$145.88/acre
The next step is to calculate the economic loss payment rate for
corn:
Economic Loss Payment Rate for Corn (greater than 0 given economic
loss) = [verbar](a * b)-c[verbar] * 30.41 percent = $145.88 * 30.41
percent = $44.36/acre
The payment rate of $44.36 per acre is applied to all eligible corn
acres and is also shown in Table 3, along with the rates for all other
eligible commodities.
For commodities not included in the USDA data sources noted above,
gross returns and costs of production were estimated. Eligible
commodities that do not have a price projection available in WASDE, nor
a cost-of-production forecast in the ``Cost of-Production Forecasts for
Major U.S. Field Crops, 2025F-2026F'' ERS data product, are pulse crops
(large chickpeas, small chickpeas, dry peas, lentils) and certain
oilseeds (canola, crambe, flax, mustard, rapeseed, safflower, sesame,
sunflower). Peanuts do not have a WASDE price forecast. For commodities
not available in the WASDE, price projections for the 2025-2026
marketing year were taken from the ARC/PLC 2025 Market Year Average
Prices web posting as of December 2025. This is the only data set
published by USDA that provides crop year price forecasts for those
crops that are not included in the WASDE, and these prices are
determined using similar methods as WASDE forecasts.
Regarding cost of production data for the pulses and oilseeds not
included in ERS's costs of production data product, USDA researched and
evaluated agricultural extension budgets and other sources. These
budgets were not used as they are based on differing computational
methodologies, can be outdated, and can vary considerably across states
even with seemingly similar production environments. Instead, national
average costs of production for pulses and certain oilseeds were
estimated based on a statistical equation involving crops with complete
costs and returns data.\4\ After the equation was estimated, the
resulting coefficients were applied to the 2025 NASS average harvested
yield or Olympic average yields, the ARC/PLC 2025 market year average
price of each commodity, and 2023 and 2024 NASS yields and prices, with
the model then predicting costs for each crop having incomplete data.
This methodology provides a uniform approach to estimating production
costs for crops with incomplete data, and uses the best available data
to reflect market conditions. The resulting production costs are shown
in Table 3 (column c), and given the cost estimate, the calculation of
the payment rate follows the same methodology as shown above for corn.
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\4\ For a detailed explanation of the payment rates for these
crops, see the Cost Benefit Analysis posted in Docket ID FSA-2026-
0001 on <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Table 3--Variables for FBA Program Payment Calculations and Final Payment Rate per Acre, by Commodity
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2025
Price Forecasted Net gross Economic loss FBA payment
Commodity 2025 Yield forecast in cost of return using 30.41 rate per acre
dollars production percent factor
(a) (b) (c) (a * b)-c ((a * b)-c) * (d)
30.41
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Barley (bu)................................................. 80 5.30 491.43 -67.43 -20.51 $20.51
Canola (lb)................................................. 1,789 0.2150 462.15 -77.51 -23.57 23.57
Chickpeas, large (lb)....................................... 1,411 0.280 482.09 -87.01 -26.46 26.46
Chickpeas, small (lb)....................................... 1,440 0.1940 389.07 -109.71 -33.36 33.36
Corn (bu)................................................... 186 4.00 889.88 -145.88 -44.36 44.36
Cotton, all (lbs)........................................... 929 0.60 943.28 -385.88 -117.35 117.35
Crambe (lb)................................................. 2,030 0.3750 678.11 83.14 0 0.00
Flax (bu)................................................... 18 13.50 267.23 -26.48 -8.05 8.05
Lentils (lb)................................................ 1,055 0.3130 409.09 -78.87 -23.98 23.98
Mustard (lb)................................................ 585 0.4280 326.84 -76.31 -23.21 23.21
Oats (bu)................................................... 73.8 3.10 497.60 -268.82 -81.75 81.75
Peanuts (cwt)............................................... 39.3 25.00 1,165.50 -183 -55.65 55.65
Peas (lb)................................................... 1,814 0.1180 278.52 64.46 19.6 -19.60
Rapeseed (lb)............................................... 1,954 0.3125 556.54 54.19 0 $0.00
Rice (cwt).................................................. 75.06 11.60 1,307.68 -436.98 -132.89 132.89
[[Page 8363]]
Safflower (lb).............................................. 1,150 0.23 346.26 -81.76 -24.86 24.86
Sesame (lb)................................................. 594 0.33 241.06 -44.98 -13.68 13.68
Sorghum (bu)................................................ 75 3.80 443.19 -158.19 -48.11 48.11
Soybeans (bu)............................................... 53 10.50 658.06 -101.56 -30.88 30.88
Sunflower (lbs)............................................. 1,699 0.2305 448.51 -56.96 -17.32 17.32
Wheat, all (bu)............................................. 53.3 5.00 395.90 -129.4 -39.35 39.35
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Note: The data do not show economic losses for rapeseed and crambe; in addition, there are no reported acres for crambe.
Table 1 & 3 Sources:
(a) 2025/2026 harvested yields are from NASS (pulled from QuickStats in December 2025). The minor oilseed crops' 2025 harvested yields are not yet
available from NASS. An Olympic average for 2020-2024 was used for canola, rapeseed, safflower, flax, sesame, mustard, and sunflower. Sesame harvested
yield estimates are not available from NASS. Sesame's 2025 harvested yield was calculated using: (1) harvested acres and production for sesame from
the 2022 Census of Agriculture, and (2) the year-to-year change in NASS's canola yield for 2022 to 2023, for 2023 to 2024, and for 2024 to 2025.
Historical internal estimates of crambe yields are those used for President's Budget purposes.
(b) 2025-2026 marketing year price forecasts are from the December 9, 2025 WASDE report, for barley, corn, cotton, oats, peanuts, rice, soybeans, and
wheat. The remaining commodity price forecasts are from the 2025-2026 ARC/PLC Marketing Year Average Prices on the FSA website.
(c) 2025 costs-of-production forecasts are from ERS's ``Cost-of-production forecasts for major U.S. fields crops, 2025F-2026F'' updated on December 18,
2025 (including wheat, corn, sorghum, barley, oats, cotton, peanuts, rice, and soybeans). For commodities that are not available in this publication,
a statistical approach was implemented as described above.
II. How To Apply
CCC is in possession of all the information needed to calculate
payments for each producer. FSA will prepare a CCC-555, Farmer Bridge
Assistance (FBA) Program Application, for each eligible producer using
the acreage timely reported for each eligible commodity in all states
and counties. FSA will use the persons identified as producers on FSA-
578, Report of Acreage, and the respective percentages of interest in
the eligible commodity. Potential program participants must obtain
their pre-filled CCC-555 from FSA through the electronic portal, which
can be accessed through the FBA Program web page at <a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/fba">https://www.fsa.usda.gov/fba</a>, or by contacting any local FSA county office.
Persons who believe that their interest in an eligible commodity is not
accurately reflected in current FSA records must contact FSA to provide
any information that the person believes is relevant to correcting this
information. Form CCC-555 must be returned to FSA by April 17, 2026.
Producers must also submit the following eligibility forms to FSA
by April 19, 2027, if not already on file with FSA for the 2025 program
year:
<bullet> CCC-901, Member Information for Legal Entities, if
applicable;
<bullet> CCC-902E, Farm Operating Plan for an Entity; if
applicable;
<bullet> CCC-902I, Farm Operating Plan for an Individual, if
applicable;
<bullet> CCC-941, Average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) Certification
and Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information, for individuals, legal
entities, and members of legal entities, excluding joint ventures and
general partnerships; and
<bullet> AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and
Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification, for the producer and
affiliated persons, as specified in 7 CFR 12.8.
III. Payment Limitation and Payment Eligibility
The total amount of FBA Program payments received, directly or
indirectly, by a person or legal entity (except a joint venture or
general partnership) may not exceed $155,000. In addition, a person or
legal entity, other than a joint venture or general partnership, is
ineligible for FBA Program payments, directly or indirectly, if the
person's or legal entity's average adjusted gross income (AGI), using
the average of the adjusted gross incomes for the 2021, 2022, and 2023
tax years, exceeds $900,000. A producer must be actively engaged in
farming, as specified in 7 CFR part 1400, subparts C and G, to be
eligible for the FBA Program.
FSA will administer the payment limitation, payment eligibility,
and average AGI limitation according to the regulations set forth at 7
CFR part 1400 as in effect on February 23, 2026, except that Subpart E,
Foreign Person eligibility, does not apply to the FBA Program.
IV. Regulatory Analyses
A. Notice and Comment and Effective Date
The Administrative Procedure Act (APA, 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2)) provides
that the notice and comment requirements and 30-day delay in the
effective date provisions of that Act do not apply when the rule
involves specified actions, including matters relating to loans,
grants, benefits, and contracts. This rule falls within this exemption.
This rule is exempt from the regulatory analysis requirements of
the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612), as amended by the
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA),
because it involves matters relating to benefits. The requirements for
the regulatory flexibility analysis in 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604 are
specifically tied to the requirement for a proposed rule by section 553
or any other law; in addition, the definition of ``rule'' in 5 U.S.C.
601 is tied to the publication of a proposed rule.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) found this rule meets the
criteria in 5 U.S.C. 804(2) of the Congressional Review Act (CRA),
which would ordinarily necessitate delaying its effective date for 60
days (5 U.S.C. 801(a)(3)(A)). However, the CRA, at 5 U.S.C. 808(2),
allows an agency to make such regulations effective immediately if the
agency finds there is good cause to do so. CCC has determined that such
good cause exists here as benefits made by this rule are critical to
the financial
[[Page 8364]]
stability of producers who participate in this program and this
assistance is necessary to help those producers sustain their normal
business operations. Therefore, CCC is not required to delay the
effective date for 60 days from the date of publication to allow for
Congressional review. Accordingly, this rule is effective upon
publication in the Federal Register.
B. Executive Orders 12866, 13563, and 14192
Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and Review,'' and
Executive Order 13563, ``Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review,''
direct agencies to assess all costs and benefits of available
regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to select
regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential
economic, environmental, public health and safety effects, distributive
impacts, and equity). Executive Order 13563 emphasized the importance
of quantifying both costs and benefits, of reducing costs, of
harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. Executive Order 14192,
``Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation,'' announced the
Administration policy to significantly reduce the private expenditures
required to comply with Federal regulations to secure America's
economic prosperity and national security and the highest possible
quality of life for each citizen and to alleviate unnecessary
regulatory burdens placed on the American people. In line with the
Executive Order requirements, CCC will use existing information
available to CCC to maximize benefits and minimize burden on American
producers. This rule is not an Executive Order 14192 regulatory action
because it does not impose any more than de minimis regulatory costs.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) designated this rule as
economically significant under Executive Order 12866, section 3(f)(1),
and therefore, OMB has reviewed this rule. The costs and benefits of
this rule are summarized below. The Cost Benefit Analysis is available
on <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>.
C. Cost Benefit Analysis Summary
The FBA Program applies simple, proportional assistance to
producers of crops that experienced an economic loss in crop year 2025
using a formula to cover a portion of losses. The concept of economic
loss is the basis for the methodology. CCC calculated a payment rate
for each eligible commodity, which is a function of the 30.41 percent
factor and which reflects the share of expected economic loss covered
by FBA Program funding. This factor value is used so that total
payments do not exceed the $11 billion in program funding and is based
on eligible acres per crop in addition to prices, yields, and costs.
To estimate the total program cost per crop, each crop's respective
payment rate is applied to the total number of eligible acres for that
crop reported to FSA. The total program cost is estimated to be $10.998
billion. The total cost to the government is the equivalent benefit to
producers. The final cost will depend on the number of applications
submitted and approved.
D. Environmental Review
The environmental impacts have been considered in a manner
consistent with the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347) and the USDA regulation for compliance with
NEPA (7 CFR part 1b).
There are no actions under this rule that have the potential to
impact the human environment. Accordingly, the actions under this rule
are covered by the FSA Categorical Exclusions specified in 7 CFR
1b.4(c)(16)(viii) that apply to individual farm participation in FSA
programs where no ground disturbance or change in land use occurs as a
result of the proposed action or participation, and 7 CFR
1b.(c)(16)(ix) that applies to safety net programs.
No Extraordinary Circumstances (Sec. 1b.3(f)) exist because this
is an administrative payment program. The FBA Program does not
constitute major Federal action that would significantly affect the
quality of the human environment, individually or cumulatively.
Therefore, CCC will not prepare an environmental assessment or
environmental impact statement for this action and, consistent with
Sec. 1b.3(g), this document serves as the programmatic finding of
applicability and no extraordinary circumstance (FANEC) for this
Federal action.
E. Executive Order 13175
This rule has been reviewed in accordance with the requirements of
Executive Order 13175, ``Consultation and Coordination with Indian
Tribal Governments.'' Executive Order 13175 requires Federal agencies
to consult and coordinate with Tribes on a Government-to-Government
basis on policies that have Tribal implications, including regulations,
legislative comments or proposed legislation, and other policy
statements or actions that have substantial direct effects on one or
more Indian Tribes, on the relationship between the Federal Government
and Indian Tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities
between the Federal Government and Indian Tribes.
CCC has assessed the impact of this rule on Indian Tribes and
determined that this rule does not, to our knowledge, have Tribal
implications that require Tribal consultation at this time. If a Tribe
requests consultation in the future, FSA will work with the Office of
Tribal Relations to ensure meaningful consultation is provided.
F. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA, Pub. L.
104-4) requires Federal agencies to assess the effects of their
regulatory actions of State, local, and Tribal governments or the
private sector. Agencies generally must prepare a written statement,
including cost benefit analysis, for proposed and final rules with
Federal mandates that may result in expenditures of $100 million or
more in any 1 year for State, local or Tribal governments, in the
aggregate, or to the private sector. UMRA generally requires agencies
to consider alternatives and adopt the more cost effective or least
burdensome alternative that achieves the objectives of the rule. This
rule contains no Federal mandates, as defined in Title II of UMRA, for
State, local and Tribal governments or the private sector. Therefore,
this rule is not subject to the requirements of sections 202 and 205 of
UMRA.
G. Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chap. 35; see 5 CFR
part 1320), requires that OMB approve all collections of information by
a Federal agency from the public before they can be implemented.
Respondents are not required to respond to any collection of
information unless it displays a current valid OMB control number. The
USDA intends to use the OMB approved information collection under the
control number of 0503-0028; Expiration Date: 10/31/2027 for the
purposes of this regulation.
FSA will issue payments to producers using the following forms:
CCC-555, CCC-901, CCC-902E, CCC-902I, CCC-941, and AD-1026. The AD-1026
is exempt.\5\ The CCC-555 is the only new data collection activity
associated with this request. The total annual burden hours for this
information collection are 197,921. See table below for the breakout.
This final rule is a one-time
[[Page 8365]]
announcement of Federal financial assistance funding for the FBA
Program.
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\5\ This information collection is exempted from the Paperwork
Reduction Act as specified in the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L.
113-79, Title II, Subtitle G, Funding and Administration).
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For Further Information Contact: Requests for additional
information or copies of this information collection should be directed
to Michael Walter; telephone: (816) 491-6934; or email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3974505a51585c55176e58554d5c4b08794c4a5d58175e564f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="317c58525950545d1f66505d4554430071444255501f565e47">[email protected]</span></a>.
Title: Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program.
Form Numbers: CCC-555, CCC-901, CCC-902E, CCC-902I, CCC-941, and
AD-1026.
OMB Number: 0503-0028.
Expiration Date: 10/31/2027.
Type of Request: Revision to Generic Information Collection.
Abstract: As authorized by Section 5(b) of the CCC Charter Act (15
U.S.C. 714c(b)), CCC is administering the FBA Program to provide $11
billion in one-time bridge payments to producers of eligible
commodities in response to temporary trade market disruptions and
increased production costs.
To apply for the FBA Program, producers must execute a pre-filled
CCC-555. Producers will use one application for all eligible crop
acreage nationwide. Producers must also submit the following
eligibility forms if not already on file with FSA due to participation
in other programs: CCC-901, Member Information for Legal Entities, if
applicable; CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan, for an individual or legal
entity as provided in 7 CFR part 1400; CCC-941, Average Adjusted Gross
Income (AGI) Certification and Consent to Disclosure of Tax
Information, for individuals, legal entities, and members of legal
entities, excluding joint ventures and general partnerships; and AD-
1026, Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation
(WC) Certification, for the participant and applicable affiliates.
Affected Public: Farms or businesses for profit (Agricultural
producers).
Estimated Number Respondents: 584,700.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.56000000.
Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses: 912,132.
Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.21698718 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 197,921 burden hours.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Total
Burden activity or form Number of responses per annual Hours per Total hours
respondents respondent responses response per year
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CCC-555, Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) 584,700 1 584,700 0.0835 48,822
Program Application.....................
CCC-901, Member Information for an Entity 5,847 1 5,847 0.5 2,924
CCC-902E, Farm Operating Plan for an 58,470 1 58,470 0.5 29,235
Entity..................................
CCC-902I, Farm Operating Plan for an 58,470 1 58,470 0.5 29,235
Individual..............................
CCC-941, Average Adjusted Gross Income 175,410 1 175,410 0.5 87,705
(AGI) Certification and Consent to
Disclosure of Tax Information...........
AD-1026, Highly Erodible Land 29,235 1 29,235 0.0835 EXEMPT
Conservation (HELC) and Wetland
Conservation (WC) Certification.........
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Estimates...................... 584,700 1.56000000 912,132 0.21698718 197,921
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are 584,700 respondents anticipated for this data collection.
The total estimated ``Number of Respondents'' is not a sum of
respondents for all burden activities and forms. It represents the same
respondents submitting responses related to different activities for
this data collection; therefore, these respondents are not double
counted.
H. E-Government Act Compliance
CCC is committed to complying with the E-Government Act of 2002, to
promote the use of the internet and other information technologies to
provide increased opportunities for citizen access to Government
information and services, and for other purposes.
Federal Assistance Programs
The title and number of the Federal assistance program, as found in
the Assistance Listing, to which this document applies are 10.990--
Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1414
Agricultural commodities, Cotton, Feed grains, Oilseeds, Peanuts,
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Rice, Wheat.
0
For the reasons discussed above, this final rule amends 7 CFR chapter
XIV by adding part 1414 to read as follows:
PART 1414--BRIDGE ASSISTANCE
Subpart A--Farmer Bridge Assistance Program
Sec.
1414.1 Applicability.
1414.2 Administration.
1414.3 Definitions.
1414.4 Eligible producer.
1414.5 Eligible acres.
1414.6 Time and method of application.
1414.7 Payment calculation.
1414.8 Payment eligibility and limitation.
1414.9 General provisions.
Subpart B--[Reserved]
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 714, et seq.
PART 1414--BRIDGE ASSISTANCE
Subpart A--Farmer Bridge Assistance Program
Sec. 1414.1 Applicability.
The regulations in this subpart are applicable to producers
participating in the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program. Producers
who participate in the FBA Program will receive payments from the
Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to assist them in the production and
marketing of agricultural commodities. Payments will be based on 2025
planted and timely reported acreage of eligible commodities and on
payment rates determined by CCC.
Sec. 1414.2 Administration.
(a) The regulations in this subpart will be administered under the
general supervision and direction of the Executive Vice President, CCC.
In the field, the regulations in this subpart will be administered by
the Farm Service Agency (FSA) State and county committees (referred to
as ``State committee'' and ``county committee,'' respectively).
(b) State executive directors, county executive directors, and
State and county committees do not have authority to modify or waive
any of the provisions of this subpart.
(c) The State committee may take any action authorized or required
by this subpart to be taken by the county committee that has not been
taken by the county committee. The State committee may also:
(1) Correct or require a county committee to correct any action
taken by
[[Page 8366]]
the county committee that is not in accordance with this subpart; or
(2) Require a county committee to withhold taking any action that
is not in accordance with this subpart.
(d) No delegation in this subpart to a State or county committee
precludes the Executive Vice President, CCC or a designee, from
determining any question arising under this subpart or from reversing
or modifying any determination made by a State or county committee.
Sec. 1414.3 Definitions.
The definitions in this section are applicable for all purposes of
administering this subpart. The terms defined in 7 CFR parts 718 and
1400 are also applicable, except where those definitions conflict with
the definitions specified in this section. Where there is a conflict or
a difference in definitions specified in this subpart and parts 718 and
1400, the regulations in this subpart will apply.
CCC-555 means Form CCC-555, Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program
Application.
Corn means only white, yellow, amylose, popcorn (excluding
strawberry popcorn), waxy, and high amylase corn.
Cotton means extra-long staple cotton and upland cotton.
Crop year means the calendar year in which a commodity was intended
for harvest.
Determined acres means that acreage established by an FSA
representative by use of official acreage, digitizing areas on a
photograph or other imagery, or computations from scaled dimensions or
ground measurements.
Double cropping means, as determined by the Deputy Administrator on
a regional basis, consecutive planting of two specific crops that have
the capability to be planted and carried to maturity for the intended
uses, as reported by the producer, on the same acreage as the initial
crop is planted, within a 12-month period. To be considered double
cropping, the planting of two specific crops must be in an area where
the FSA State Committee has determined that producers are typically
able to repeat the same cycle successfully in a subsequent 12-month
period under normal growing conditions.
Dry peas mean Austrian, green, wrinkled seed, and yellow peas,
excluding peas grown for the fresh, canning, or frozen market.
Eligible commodity means a 2025 crop of barley, canola, corn,
crambe, extra-long staple cotton, flax, large chickpeas, lentils,
mustard, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, rice, safflower, sesame,
small chickpeas, sorghum, soybeans, sunflower, upland cotton, and
wheat.
Eligible producer means a producer of an eligible commodity who
timely filed Form FSA-578 with FSA and who complies with all provisions
of this subpart.
Extra-long staple cotton means cotton that follows the standard
planting and harvesting practices of the area in which the cotton is
grown, and meets all of the following conditions:
(1) American-Pima, Sea Island, Sealand, all other varieties of the
Barbadense species of cotton and any hybrid thereof, and any other
variety of cotton in which 1 or more of these varieties is predominant;
(2) The acreage is grown in a county designated as an extra-long
staple cotton county by the Secretary; and
(3) The production from the acreage is ginned on a roller-type gin.
FSA-578 means Form FSA-578, Report of Crop Acreage.
Payment rate means the amount per acre for an eligible commodity
that CCC has determined to use to provide assistance to eligible
producers in accordance with this subpart.
Peanuts means all peanuts excluding perennial peanuts.
Rice means long grain rice and medium grain rice, including
temperate japonica rice, short grain, and sweet rice.
Skip-row means a cultural practice in which rows of a crop are
alternated with strips of idle land or another crop, as determined by
the Secretary.
Sorghum means both grain sorghum and dual-purpose sorghum
(including any cross that, at all stages of growth, having
characteristics of a feed grain or dual-purpose variety). Sweet sorghum
is not considered a grain sorghum.
Upland cotton means cotton that is produced in the United States
from other than pure strain varieties of the Barbadense species, any
hybrid thereof, or any other variety of cotton in which one or more of
these varieties predominate. In other words, it means any cotton that
is not extra-long staple cotton.
Sec. 1414.4 Eligible producer.
(a)(1) To be eligible for payment under this subpart, a producer
must have timely filed an FSA-578 with FSA for their acreage of each
eligible commodity for which a payment under this subpart is requested.
(2) Federal agencies are not eligible to participate in the FBA
Program.
(b) An eligible producer is a:
(1) Citizen of the United States;
(2) Resident alien, which for purposes of the FBA Program, means
``lawful alien'' as defined in 7 CFR part 1400;
(3) Partnership organized under State law consisting solely of
citizens of the United States or resident aliens;
(4) Corporation, limited liability company, or other organizational
structure organized under State law consisting solely of citizens of
the United States or resident aliens; or
(5) Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, as defined in section 4(b)
of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25
U.S.C. 5304).
(c)(1) A State, political subdivision, or agency thereof, is
eligible for a payment under this subpart if:
(i) The land for which payments are received is owned by the State,
political subdivision, or agency thereof; and
(ii) The payments are used solely for the support of public
schools.
(2) The total of payments to the State, political subdivision, or
agency thereof cannot exceed $500,000 annually, except for States with
a population less than 1,500,000, as established by the most recent
U.S. Census Bureau annual estimate of the State's resident population.
This limitation is in addition to the limitation per person or legal
entity described in Sec. 1414.8. States with a population of less than
1,500,000 are subject to the regular per person or entity limit in
Sec. 1414.8.
(d) To be eligible for assistance under this subpart, a producer
must be in compliance with the provisions of 7 CFR part 12 and the
provisions of 7 CFR 718.6, which address ineligibility for benefits for
offenses involving controlled substances.
(e) To be eligible for assistance under this subpart, a producer
must be actively engaged in farming. FSA will administer this
requirement according to the provisions of 7 CFR part 1400, subparts C
and G.
(f) A receiver or trustee of an insolvent or bankrupt debtor's
estate, an executor or an administrator of a deceased person's estate,
a guardian of an estate of a ward or an incompetent person, and
trustees of a trust are considered to represent the insolvent or
bankrupt debtor, the deceased person, the ward or incompetent, and the
beneficiaries of a trust, respectively. The production of the receiver,
executor, administrator, guardian, or trustee is considered to be the
production of the person or estate represented by the receiver,
executor, administrator, guardian, or trustee.
[[Page 8367]]
Sec. 1414.5 Eligible acres.
(a) Eligible acres under this subpart include 2025 crop year acres
planted in the United States to an eligible commodity, excluding
acreage reported as a cover crop, and acreage with an intended use of
grazing, experimental, green manure, left standing, or volunteer.
Producers must have reported the acres to FSA on FSA-578 by December
19, 2025, to be eligible for payment under this subpart.
(b) FBA Program payments will be based on timely reported acres. If
reported acres have determined acres present, determined acres will be
used.
(c) Planted acreage includes any land devoted to planted acres for
accepted skip-row planting patterns, as determined by the Secretary.
FSA will calculate FBA Program payments for skip-row acreage based on
the total acres devoted to the eligible commodity without making
reductions specified in 7 CFR 718.108 that are applicable to other FSA
programs.
(d) In situations where a producer planted both an initial crop and
a subsequent crop on the same acreage for the 2025 crop year, both the
initial crop and the subsequent crop will be eligible for the FBA
Program if they were eligible commodities.
Sec. 1414.6 Time and method of application.
(a) Producers must contact an FSA county office to obtain their
pre-filled CCC-555 and submit this form to any FSA county office by
April 17, 2026. Applicants will submit one application that includes
all eligible acreage in all counties nationwide.
(b) The date to apply for payments under this program may, at the
sole discretion of FSA, be extended. If FSA makes that decision, the
extended date will be set forth at <a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/fba">https://www.fsa.usda.gov/fba</a>.
Producers may also obtain that information from any FSA county office.
(c) Producers must also submit the following eligibility forms to
FSA by April 19, 2027, if not already on file with FSA for the 2025
program year:
(1) CCC-901, Member Information for Legal Entities, if applicable;
(2) CCC-902E, Farm Operating Plan for an Entity; if applicable;
(3) CCC-902I, Farm Operating Plan for an Individual, if applicable;
(4) CCC-941, Average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) Certification and
Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information, for individuals, legal
entities, and members of legal entities, excluding joint ventures and
general partnerships; and
(5) AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland
Conservation (WC) Certification, for the producer and affiliated
persons, as specified in 7 CFR 12.8.
Sec. 1414.7 Payment calculation.
(a) Payments will be determined by multiplying the eligible acres
of an eligible commodity by the payment rate for such commodity.
Payment rates are specified in paragraph (b) of this section.
(b) The FBA Program payment rates are specified in the following
table.
Table 1 to Paragraph (b)--FBA Program Payment Rates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Payment rate
Eligible commodity per acre
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barley................................................. $20.51
Canola................................................. 23.57
Chickpeas, Large....................................... 26.46
Chickpeas, Small....................................... 33.36
Corn................................................... 44.36
Cotton................................................. 117.35
Crambe................................................. 0
Flax................................................... 8.05
Lentils................................................ 23.98
Mustard................................................ 23.21
Oats................................................... 81.75
Peanuts................................................ 55.65
Peas, Dry.............................................. 19.60
Rapeseed............................................... 0
Rice................................................... 132.89
Safflower.............................................. 24.86
Sesame................................................. 13.68
Sorghum................................................ 48.11
Soybeans............................................... 30.88
Sunflowers............................................. 17.32
Wheat.................................................. 39.35
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 1414.8 Payment eligibility and limitation.
(a) A person, legal entity, or member of a joint venture or general
partnership, as determined in 7 CFR part 1400 in effect on February 23,
2026, cannot receive, directly or indirectly, more than $155,000 under
this subpart. The regulations set forth in part 1400 will be used to
administer this limitation.
(b) A person or legal entity with an average adjusted gross income
that exceeds $900,000, as determined according to 7 CFR part 1400,
subpart F, will not be eligible to receive benefits, directly or
indirectly, under this subpart.
Sec. 1414.9 General provisions.
(a) All information provided to FSA for program eligibility and
payment calculation purposes is subject to spot check. Participants are
required to retain documentation in support of their application for 3
years after the date of approval, including verifiable evidence of
planted acres of eligible commodities. Participants receiving FBA
Program payments or any other person who furnishes such information to
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must permit authorized
representatives of USDA or the Government Accountability Office, during
regular business hours, to enter the operation and to inspect, examine,
and allow representatives to make copies of books, records, or other
items for the purpose of confirming the accuracy of the information
provided by the participant.
(b) If an FBA Program payment resulted from erroneous information
provided by a participant, or any person acting on their behalf, the
payment will be recalculated and the participant must refund any excess
payment to FSA with interest calculated from the date of the
disbursement of the payment. If FSA determines that the applicant
intentionally misrepresented information included on their application,
the application will be disapproved and the applicant must refund the
full payment to FSA with interest from the date of disbursement.
(c) Any payment under this subpart will be made without regard to
questions of title under State law and without regard to any claim or
lien. The regulations governing offsets in 7 CFR part 3 apply to FBA
Program payments.
(d) In either applying for or participating in the FBA Program, or
both, the applicant is subject to laws against perjury (including, but
not limited to, 18 U.S.C. 1621). If the applicant willfully makes and
represents as true any verbal or written declaration, certification,
statement, or verification that the applicant knows or believes not to
be true, in the course of either applying for or participating in the
FBA Program, or both, then the applicant may be found to be guilty of
perjury. Except as otherwise provided by law, if guilty of perjury the
applicant may be fined, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both,
regardless of whether the applicant makes such verbal or written
declaration, certification, statement, or verification within or
outside the United States.
(e) For the purposes of the effect of a lien on eligibility for
Federal programs (28 U.S.C. 3201(e)), USDA waives the restriction on
receipt of funds under this subpart but only as to beneficiaries who,
as a condition of the waiver, agree to apply the FBA Program payments
to reduce the amount of the judgment lien.
(f) In addition to any other Federal laws that apply to the FBA
Program, the following laws apply: 18 U.S.C. 286, 287, 371, and 1001.
[[Page 8368]]
Subpart B--[Reserved]
William Beam,
Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2026-03456 Filed 2-20-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-E2-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 23, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.