Farmers hit by natural disasters such as wildfires or floods are set to benefit from a fresh $16 billion funding package, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed.
Why It Matters
American farmers face escalating challenges, from extreme weather events—including historic droughts, floods, and wildfires—to ongoing volatility in global trade. These pressures have threatened the financial stability of farm operations, rural communities, and the nation’s food supply.
The USDA’s announcement of an additional $16 billion in disaster relief under the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) marks a significant federal intervention intended to stabilize the sector and ensure the resilience of American agriculture as it enters the 2026 crop cycle.
Newsweek contacted the USDA via email for further comment.
What To Know
Under the Trump administration, the USDA has launched stage two of its $16 billion SDRP.
The initiative aims to provide targeted financial support to U.S. producers who suffered eligible losses during calendar years 2023 and 2024 due to extreme weather events such as wildfires, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, winter storms, excessive heat, freezes, smoke exposure, excessive moisture, and qualifying droughts.
The second stage of SDRP focuses on previously uncovered “shallow losses”—things that aren’t covered by standard crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).
Enrollment for stage two opens on November 24, 2025, and closes on April 30, 2026.
The first stage of SDRP, announced in July 2025, has already paid out over $5.7 billion to indemnified producers, primarily corn and soybean farmers, with stage one applications remaining open until April 30, 2026.
Further USDA programs include the Milk Loss Program, which earmarks up to $1.65 million for eligible dairy operations forced to dispose of milk due to natural disasters, and the On-Farm Stored Commodity Loss Program, providing up to $5 million for losses of harvested produce stored on-farm.
Applications for these programs also begin November 24, 2025, but close earlier—on January 23, 2026.
What People Are Saying
“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. The continued financial success of our farming and ranching operations is a national security priority,” said USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins.
She continued: “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.”
“We’ve had farm equipment washed down the river. We’ve had tractors underwater, so they’re totaled, won’t be able to use those. Irrigation equipment wadded up like a bowl of spaghetti,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller told The Associated Press after devastating floods hit the state. “We’re finding cattle dead on top of trees downriver. So it’s pretty devastating.”
What Happens Next
Farmers and ranchers affected by disasters in 2023 and 2024 may now apply for the relevant relief programs as detailed above. The streamlined process is expected to deliver payments promptly, helping shore up farm finances for planning the 2026 growing season.
Longer term, the expanded scope of disaster relief—addressing shallow losses and previously uncovered quality issues—could reshape future federal agricultural policy.
By mandating that all producers who receive SDRP payments must purchase federal crop insurance or NAP coverage at 60 percent or higher for the following two crop years, the USDA is linking immediate relief with the promotion of risk mitigation in agriculture.
