2025 USDA bridge payment applications due Friday, farm bill advances

The deadline to report 2025 acreage for USDA bridge payments to producers of specialty crops and sugar is March 13, writes Spudman managing editor Melinda Waldrop.

Eligible farmers should ensure their acreage reporting is accurate by 5 p.m. on March 13. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of March.

USDA announced $1 billion in one-time federal bridge payments for specialty crop and sugar producers on Feb. 13. That followed $11 billion in aid to row crop growers affected by high yields and tariff turmoil announced in December 2025.

RELATED – Specialty crop leaders sound alarm on $100B farm losses, seek $5B in support

Farm bill heads to House floor

The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, also known as the farm bill, passed a committee vote 34-17 and will now be taken up on the House floor.

Senate Agriculture Committee chair John Boozman indicated in late February that his committee will take up its version of the farm bill in the coming months.

“It’s clear that the policies of 2018 are no match for the challenges of 2026. NPC and our nation’s potato growers are encouraged by the bipartisan support the House Farm Bill received in committee and look forward to supporting its passage on the House Floor,” National Potato Council president Ben Sklarczyk, a potato grower from Michigan, said in a statement.

Congress considers $15B aid package

A potential military and disaster funding package may include $15 billion in relief for farmers impacted by ongoing trade tensions and tariffs, according to a Politico report.

The proposed emergency funding, which President Trump is expected to seek for the conflict in Iran, could also feature aid for wildfire recovery.

SCFBA and NPC are actively engaging with lawmakers to ensure this relief addresses industry needs.

“Potato growers visited with their delegation members last week during the Washington Summit to press Congress on the need for economic support for our industry,” said Dean Gibson, NPC vice president of legislative affairs and a potato grower from Idaho. “Our growers are leading the charge to ensure that specialty crop growers receive their fair share of any proposed emergency aid and advocating for a minimum of $5 billion of the total farmer assistance package to be set aside exclusively for the specialty crop sector.”