Keystone Today

House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn 'GT' Thompson has expressed his support for the USDA's decision to allocate up to $10 billion directly to agricultural producers. This move, announced by Secretary Brooke Rollins, is part of the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) aimed at assisting farmers for the 2024 crop year.

Thompson stated, "Grappling with rising input costs, declining commodity prices, record debt levels, and a lingering agricultural trade deficit, America's farmers and ranchers are teetering on the edge of a financial cliff. That’s exactly why I fought to ensure this assistance was included in last year’s continuing resolution."

He commended the Trump Administration for its prompt action in implementing this program and praised Secretary Rollins and her team for their efforts in prioritizing farm families. Thompson added that while this relief is essential, it cannot replace the need for a robust five-year farm bill that provides reliable risk management tools.

The USDA outlined eligible commodities and their respective per-acre payment rates under ECAP. For instance, wheat will receive $30.69 per acre, corn $42.91 per acre, and soybeans $29.76 per acre among others.

To qualify for these payments, producers must report their 2024 crop year planted or prevented planted acres using an FSA-578 form by August 15, 2025. Applications can be submitted through various channels including in-person visits to local FSA county offices or online via secure login.gov accounts.

Producers are also required to have specific forms on file with FSA such as Form AD-2047 and Form CCC-902 among others. If any producer has not received a pre-filled application but qualifies under ECAP criteria, they should reach out to their local FSA office.

ECAP payments will be issued upon approval of applications with initial payments factored at 85% of calculated amounts to prevent exceeding available funds. Should additional funding remain available after initial disbursements, a second payment may be considered.

For further details or payment estimates under ECAP guidelines, producers are encouraged to visit fsa.usda.gov/ecap where an online calculator is available.