USDA Delivers Final ‘Farmers First’ Program Improvements

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins said the USDA is making "significant" improvements to its disaster assistance and commodity loan programs.

FSA is enhancing the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), and Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Key updates include expanded eligibility and higher payments for losses, lower drought thresholds for forage assistance, and increased predation compensation.

"As we celebrate our nation's 250th birthday, we also celebrate our all-important farmers," says Rollins. “The Trump administration is committed to ensuring the economic success of farmers and ranchers who rely on a strong safety net when natural disasters impact their infrastructure or when market prices affect their profitability.”

FSA is also increasing Marketing Assistance Loan rates to improve farmers’ cash flow and marketing flexibility. In addition, USDA is expanding Marketing Assistance Loans to better help cotton and sugar producers by increasing cotton storage credits, for example, and extending the sugar program through 2031.

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