Enrollment For Farmer Bridge Payments Begins February 23

SCOTT STILES

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS

USDA announced Friday, February 20, the enrollment period for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program. The FBA enrollment period opens Feb. 23 and closes April 17, 2026.

How to Apply

Pre-filled applications will be available online to producers with a Login.gov account who timely filed their 2025 crop acreage report for eligible commodities. Producers who have a Login.gov account can access and submit their pre-filled application from fsa.usda.gov/fba. Additionally, producers can also request their pre-filled FBA application from their FSA county office.  

April 17, 2026, is the deadline to submit completed FBA applications. Producers can complete FBA applications online or submit to their FSA county office.  

Login.gov

Login.gov is the public’s one account for government. Producers can use one account and password for secure, private access to participating government agencies, including FSA.  

To apply for FBA online, producers can start by visiting fsa.usda.gov/fba to create their Login.gov account. Producers who have an existing Login.gov account, can work with FSA using their existing account.  

With a secure Login.gov account, producers can be amongst the first to apply for FBA allowing them to view, certify, and submit their application as well as track their application and payment status.  

For assistance creating a Login.gov account, visit https://login.gov/help/.  

Eligibility 

The following commodities are eligible for FBA: Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower.  

All intended uses for FBA eligible commodities are eligible excluding grazing, experimental, green manure, left standing, or cover crops. Initial acres, double crop acres, and subsequently planted acres, are eligible. Prevent plant acres are not eligible.  

Payment Calculation

In December, USDA released the payment rates by commodity.  

FBA payment rates are based on 2025 planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production, and the World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate Report. 

More Information

More information on FBA is available online at fsa.usda.gov/fba. Producers can also contact their local FSA county office.     ∆

SCOTT STILES

UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS