Source: USDA news release
The USDA says next week producers can start enrolling for the second wave of the Supplemental Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Vaden says the program covers eligible commodities that were not covered under the first application process, including shallow losses, uninsured, and quality losses caused by 2023 and 2024 natural disasters.
“Between the two stages of the Supplemental Disaster Relief program, USDA will deliver in total more than $16 billion in Congressionally approved assistance to America’s farmers,” he says.
Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce tells Brownfield payments are expected to be sent within days of application approval.
“If a producer suffered a loss that did not exceed their crop insurance deductible, they will now be indemnified for their loss and receive the same crop insurance premium and fee refund,” he shares.
Fordyce says the Milk Loss Program will provide up to $1.65 million in payments for milk that wasn’t compensated for because of a qualifying natural disaster.
“So that would be a situation where a qualifying disaster event would have severed the power for a period of time, and the milk wouldn’t be marketable, or roads were impassable and a truck could not get to the dairy farm, pick up the milk,” he explains.
Up to $5 million is also available through the On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program for harvested commodities in storage that were lost in disasters.
Vaden says payments could be adjusted higher if not all funds are claimed by the enrollment deadline.
Producers have until Jan. 23, 2026, to apply for the Milk and On-Farm Stored Crop Loss Programs, and through April 30, 2026, for both stages of the supplemental disaster program.
