The USDA has been distributing the initial round of Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) payments. The emergency relief was created in December 2024 to help offset financial losses for agricultural producers last year. Farmers are reporting that those payments started appearing in bank accounts last week.

The first round of payments equates to 85% of the per-acre payment. This will ensure enough funding is available for all farmers who sign up for the program. Producers can sign up until August 15.

Congress allocated $10 billion for the payments. The remaining balance of 15%, plus or minus, will be issued at a later date.

Farm CPA Paul Neiffer thinks farmers should collect the full 15% after the initial signup ends. If not, he said it should be really close to the full amount.

Farmers will receive payments on a flat per-acre rate of 100% for planted acres and 50% where there was prevented planting.

Commodities eligible include:

  • Wheat: $30.69
  • Corn: $42.91
  • Sorguhm: $42.52
  • Barley: $21.67
  • Oats: $77.66
  • Upland cotton & extra-long staple cotton: $$84.74
  • Long & medium grain rice: $76.94
  • Peanuts $75.51
  • Soybeans: $29.76
  • Dry peas $16.01
  • Lentils: $19.30
  • Small chickpeas: $31.45
  • Large chickpeas: $24.02

Eligible oilseeds include canola, crambe, flax, mustard, rapeseed, safflower, sesame and sunflower.

Read more about ECAP payments here.