USDA provides update on economic, disaster recovery assistance
Included in the December 2024 continuing resolution was $30 billion in funding directed to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to administer economic and disaster recovery assistance to farmers and ranchers. The Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) supported providing this level of assistance due to the economic conditions across farm country. MCGA thankful for passage of economic and disaster assistance for farmers.
Of the total funding approved, $10 billion was specifically for economic assistance. USDA has been implementing the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) since March 2025, when eligible farmers could sign up for the program. According to the USDA ECAP dashboard, nearly $8 billion in payments have been made with corn farmers receiving $3.14 billion in assistance so far. Minnesota farmers have received $521 million in assistance across all covered commodities, with corn farmers receiving $295 million in program payments. ECAP sign up ends August 15, 2025 and depending on remaining available funds, farmers could receive the other twenty percent of the total payment that was withheld to ensure enough funding for all eligible farmers across all covered commodities. The goal of the ECAP program was to assist farmers withstand the current economic conditions and help farmers maintain operations.
USDA is in the process of administering the $20 billion in disaster recovery assistance. That process began in May with the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) for drought and wildfire and is helping for losses due to drought and wildfires in 2023 and 2024. At the end of May, USDA published the ELRP rule in the Federal Register and set a target date of May 30 for Farm Service Agency offices to sign and certify payments. USDA will make available an ELRP for flooding later this summer.
For Minnesota corn farmers anxious to address losses due to revenue, quality or production of crops due to weather related events in 2023 and 2024, the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program is targeted for sign-ups for indemnified losses to begin July 7. USDA has submitted the final rule for the program to the Office of Managment and Budget (OMB) and according to a timeline provided by USDA, June 27 is the targeted date for OMB clearance in order for sign-ups for indemnified losses to begin in July.
For farmers who have uncovered losses, which would include farmers without crop insurance, and quality losses, USDA is targeting a September sign-up.
We will be sure to keep you updated once program rules and sign-up dates are confirmed for the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program. You can also stay up to date with information from USDA here.
