GFB News Magazine
USDA Supplemental Disaster Relief Program offers lifeline to farmers
by Ben Parker
National Affairs Coordinator
Posted on September 5, 2025 10:08 PM
In response to the natural disasters that struck American agriculture in 2023 and 2024, the USDA has launched the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) to provide critical financial assistance to farmers.
Authorized under the American Relief Act of 2025 and signed into law Dec. 21, 2024, the SDRP allocates $16 billion to support producers who suffered losses due to wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, winter storms, freezes, smoke exposure, excessive moisture, and qualifying droughts.
Administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), SDRP aims to deliver swift relief to farmers, complementing other initiatives like the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) and Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP).
SDRP is structured in two stages to expedite aid delivery. Stage 1, which began on July 10, targets producers with indemnified crop losses who received payments through federal crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) in 2023 or 2024. To streamline the process, the FSA mailed pre-filled FSA-526 applications to eligible producers on July 9. Producers can also obtain these forms at local FSA county offices or submit them in person, via mail, email or fax.
Stage 1 payments cover losses to crops, trees, bushes, and vines, calculated using existing USDA data, with a flat 35% payment rate applied to eligible losses, to ensure all eligible producers can receive a payment.
Stage 2, set to begin on Sept. 15, will address shallow or uncovered losses, including those for producers without crop insurance or NAP coverage, as well as quality losses. This phase is critical for farmers with non-indemnified losses, ensuring broader access to relief.
Producers must submit separate applications for each crop year. Those receiving SDRP payments are required to purchase federal crop insurance or NAP coverage at a minimum 60% level for the next two crop years, or they must refund the payment with interest.
Eligibility for SDRP requires losses be tied to natural disasters in 2023 or 2024. For drought-related losses, the affected county must have been rated D2 (severe drought) for eight consecutive weeks or D3 (extreme drought) or higher by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Because SDRP funds were tight, Congress limited the program to states with high agriculture production and large farm economies.
This program is a vital step in ensuring American farmers can continue producing the nation’s food supply despite nature’s unpredictability. As of Aug. 26, Georgia farmers had received $96.29 million in SDRP funds.
The USDA emphasizes transparency, updating payment details weekly on www.farmers.gov, where producers can also access tools like the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool and Loan Assistance Tool. For more information or to apply for SDRP, contact your local USDA Service Center.
With over $7.8 billion already disbursed through ECAP and $1 billion via ELRP, the SDRP underscores the USDA’s commitment to supporting farmers recovering from unprecedented challenges.
Key Dates:
· Stage 1 Sign-Up: Began July 10 (ongoing, deadline TBD by FSA).
· Stage 2 Sign-Up: Expected to be Sept. 29.
Ben Parker is Georgia Farm Bureau’s national affairs coordinator. He may be reached at btparker@gfb.org or 474-0679, ext. 5217.
