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Details of USDA’s Emergency Commodity Assistance Program announced

March 19, 2025
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Yesterday, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the launch of the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) to disburse the $10 billion in economic assistance to eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year. Passed in December as part of the Continuing Resolution package, the program aims to help alleviate the significant economic losses producers faced in 2024.

Sign-ups for the USDA’s $10 billion Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) are slated to open today and run through Aug. 15. Farmers can sign up in person at their local FSA office, fill out paperwork online, or return a pre-filled mail application. Economic relief payments are based on planted and prevented crop acres for the 2024 crop year. Corn is an eligible commodity for this relief at a payment rate of $42.91.

Once an application is approved, initial payments will be prorated by 85% to ensure the total program does not exceed the funding provided by Congress. Once the sign-up period ends in August, USDA may provide a second payment if additional funds are still available.

“The Minnesota Corn Growers Association thanks Secretary Rollins and USDA for prioritizing efforts to distribute this aid to farmers,” MCGA President Jim Kanten said in a statement. “The aid will be critical to ensuring that Minnesota’s family corn farmers have the resources to operate during the 2025 crop year, and we appreciate USDA’s efforts to ensure it reaches growers in a timely fashion.”

The economic relief package was passed in part because of grassroots advocacy by MCGA, the National Corn Growers Association, and other producer groups. Your membership in MCGA ensures that Minnesota Corn has the resources to effectively advocate for farmers at the state and federal level. Learn more about joining MCGA here.

Congress also passed $20 billion in disaster assistance for the 2023 and 2024 crop years. Details for those programs will be shared later, according to USDA officials.

Current ECAP Resources