GFB News Magazine

USDA issuing economic assistance payments to producers

by Jennifer Whittaker

Posted on May 29, 2025 6:30 AM

Farmers have until Aug. 15 to apply for payments through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) for the 2024 crop year. Authorized by the American Relief Act of 2025, these payments are based on planted and prevented planted crop acres for eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year. 

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced March 18 that USDA is issuing up to $10 billion directly to ag producers through ECAP. Administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), ECAP will help farmers mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and falling commodity prices for 2024. 

Applying for ECAP

Soon after the signup period opened on March 19, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) began sending pre-filled applications to producers who had already submitted acreage reports to FSA for 2024 eligible ECAP commodities. If a producer does not receive a pre-filled ECAP application, and they planted or were prevented from planting ECAP eligible commodities in 2024, they should contact their local FSA office.

Producers who have not previously reported 2024 crop year acreage or filed a notice of loss for prevented planted crops must submit an acreage report by Aug. 15 on an FSA-578, Report of Acreage form. Farmers can contact their local FSA office to request an application or visit http://fsa.usda.gov/ecap to apply using a login.gov account. Only one application is required for all ECAP eligible commodities nationwide.

ECAP Payments and Calculator

ECAP payments will be issued as applications are approved. Initial ECAP payments will be factored by 85% to ensure total program payments do not exceed available funding. If additional funds remain, FSA may issue a second payment. 

ECAP assistance will be calculated using a flat payment rate for the eligible commodity multiplied by the eligible reported acres. Payments are based on acreage and not production. For acres reported as prevented plant, ECAP assistance will be calculated at 50%.

For ECAP payment estimates visit fsa.usda.gov/ecap to use the ECAP online calculator.