For Immediate Release Contact:
Elizabeth Rivera | 202-547-7800 | erivera@wheatworld.org
NAWG Welcomes USDA’s Economic Commodity Assistance Program
Washington, D.C. (March 18, 2025) – Today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the implementation of the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) for the 2024 crop year. In December 2024, Congress passed the American Relief Act of 2025, which appropriated $10 billion in much-needed economic assistance for farmers. Today’s action by the USDA is a critical step in providing financial relief to producers facing economic hardship.
“Thank you, Secretary Rollins, and everyone at USDA for working hard to deliver this crucial economic assistance to farmers in a timely manner,” said Chandler Goule NAWG CEO “As we celebrate National Agriculture Day today, the timeliness in the program delivery is crucial as America’s farmers continue to face dire economic challenges.
“NAWG is proud to have worked with key stakeholders and Congress last to ensure this critical assistance was included in last year’s continuing resolution. While this ad hoc assistance is much needed, the short-term relief cannot replace a robust long-term farm bill. NAWG continues to urge lawmakers to work quickly to pass a farm bill that strengthens the farm safety net in the 119th Congress.”.
Starting tomorrow, farmers will be able to apply for ECAP at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office, online at fsa.usda.gov/ecap, or by returning the prefilled applications that will be mailed out to producers who submitted acreage reports to FSA for 2024 eligible ECAP commodities. Today, FSA also announced the payment rates for eligible commodities, which is $30.69 per acre for wheat. Applications for these funds will run from March 19, 2025, to August 15, 2025. Producers can learn more about the application process by visiting fsa.usda.gov/ecap or contacting their local FSA office.
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