USDA releases second round of disaster funding to farmers

Applications for Phase 2 of disaster relief funding for farmers will soon open.

Cows in a field Source: Jacob Emmons, Carolina Journal

On Monday, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Phase 2 of federal support for farmers nationwide who have been affected by natural disasters.

“President Trump continues to put Farmers First and provide relief to American farmers reeling from the devastating natural disasters that struck across the United States in 2023 and 2024,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “The continued financial success of our farming and ranching operations is a national security priority. USDA is doing whatever it takes to make good on President Trump’s promise to expedite disaster recovery assistance to U.S. farmers and ranchers, ensuring viability, prosperity, and longevity for these men and women who dedicate their entire lives to our nation’s food, fiber and fuel production. The majority of payments from the first stage are already in the hands of producers helping them prepare for and invest in the next crop year.”

Since March, the USDA has been distributing to farmers more than $16 billion in congressionally approved federal assistance through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) under the American Relief Act of 2025. This money is in addition to the $9.3 billion allocated to the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP), which will benefit more than 560,000 row-crop farmers; and the more than $705 million in Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) assistance, which will support over 220,000 ranchers.

Phase 2 of the SDRP assistance covers eligible crop, tree, bush, and vine losses not covered under Phase 1 provisions, which included non-indemnified (shallow loss), uncovered, and quality losses. The deadline to apply for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 assistance is April 30, 2026.

Producers are still eligible to apply for Phase 1 assistance if they received compensation under crop insurance or the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) for those eligible for crop losses due to 2023 and 2024 natural disasters. County Farm Service Assistance (FSA) offices will begin accepting Phase 2 applications on Nov. 24.

To date, Phase 1 SDRP payments have totaled more than $5.7 billion.

Milk Loss Program

Additionally, the Milk Loss Program (MLP) has been allocated up to $1.65 million in payments to eligible dairy operations for milk that was dumped or removed from the commercial milk market without compensation due to a natural disaster in 2023 and/or 2024.

Producers who were impacted by a qualifying natural disaster event during 2023 and/or 2024 and suffered losses of harvested commodities or commodities stored in on-farm structures could be eligible for the On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program (OFSCLP), which allocates up to $5 million in federal funding for producers who have been impacted. The enrollment period to apply for milk and on-farm stored commodity losses is Nov. 24 through Jan. 23, 2026.

“USDA releases second round of disaster funding to farmers” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.