The USDA will issue a second Emergency Commodity Assistance Program payment to eligible producers for the 2024 crop year. Of the authorized $10 billion in ECAP assistance, USDA’s Farm Service Agency has already provided over $8 billion in payments to eligible producers to mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and falling commodity prices. “Initial ECAP payments were factored by 85 percent to ensure that total program payments didn’t exceed $10 billion in available funding,” said USDA Deputy Undersecretary Brooke Appleton. “Because additional funds remain, FSA is issuing another payment.”
Payments will automatically be made to eligible producers with approved ECAP applications who received an initial payment. Any application approved after September 25 will receive one lump sum. Appleton said, “These payments, combined with the entire suite of supplemental disaster assistance programs, will help producers navigate market uncertainty, pay down debt from the 2024 crop year, and secure financing for 2026.”
-NAFB