OMAHA (DTN) -- Commodity farmers should know by the end of December exactly how much they will receive in economic aid from the Trump administration from the $12 billion package that should be distributed by the end of February, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Monday.

The Trump administration dubbed the new aid the "Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program."

President Donald Trump presided over a roundtable on Monday afternoon with a handful of farmers, along with lawmakers and members of his administration to announce the aid package.

Rollins said that $11 billion will be provided to commodity producers, while USDA will hold back $1 billion for specialty crop producers.

"So, you are going to your lender, as you are working to ensure and understanding what you can plant for next year, you will have that number in hand," Rollins said.

FARMER BRIDGE ASSISTANCE

FBA payments will provide aid to the primary commodity crops: barley, chickpeas, corn, cotton, lentils, oats, peanuts, peas, rice, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, canola, crambe, flax, mustard, rapeseed, safflower, sesame and sunflower.

USDA stated the aid will support farmers dealing with a host of challenges. "FBA will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports."

USDA will use a "uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the crop year."

USDA will use Farm Service Agency-reported planted acres for crops. Because of that, USDA stated that farmers need to ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is correct by 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 19.

USDA also will develop its payment formula using Economic Research Service cost of production estimates along with World Agricultural Supply & Demand Estimate yields and prices.

Commodity-specific payment rates will be released at the end of December.

USDA also noted, "Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the FBA program." Still, USDA encouraged farmers to use crop insurance, which has new incentives and protections under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

USDA will have pre-filled applications for FBA. In a press call, USDA officials also said the program will have a $155,000 payment limit. Producers or legal entities also will have an adjusted gross income cap of $900,000.

Producers with specific questions about the aid package or who want to request a meeting can email farmerbridge@usda.gov.

TRUMP'S ROUNDTABLE

Trump used the roundtable to highlight that prices for everyday items, such as gasoline, were coming down. Trump, Rollins and others blamed high inflation and poor farmer economic conditions on the Biden administration while simultaneously pointing out that the country is bringing in hundreds of billions of dollars in new tariff revenue each month.

"When gasoline comes down, so does everything," said Trump, adding, "But we inherited a mess."

Speaking directly about the aid to farmers, Trump said, "This relief will provide much-needed certainty to farmers as they get this year's harvest to market and look ahead to next year's crops."

Trump said the $12 billion package was only possible because of tariff revenue.

"This money would not be possible without tariffs. The tariffs are taking in, you know, hundreds of billions of dollars, and we're giving some of that to the farmers because they were mistreated."

The $12 billion came from Commodity Credit Corp. (CCC) funding that was moved into a separate fund before the government shutdown. That's why conservation payments were delayed because USDA needed to replenish the CCC after those funds were transferred out.

Trump also said his trade deals have led to $60 billion in commitments for agricultural purchases, which includes more than $40 billion in soybean sales to China during the next three years.

"Maximizing domestic farm production is a big part of how we will make America affordable again and bring down grocery prices for American families," Trump said.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Trump "scored a massive victory for American farmers" by getting China to buy soybeans again after sales collapsed last spring as the president imposed high tariffs on China. Under the deal, China has agreed to buy 25 million metric tons of soybeans annually. Bessent said soybean sales to China have become the biggest point of discussion between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"When we are on a call with President Xi, the first thing the president is asking for is more soybean purchases," Bessent said. "We don't even talk about geopolitics."

Trump repeatedly returned to the importance of using tariffs and stressed that his administration's biggest economic tool is waiting on a Supreme Court decision.

Meryl Kennedy, a rice farmer from Monroe, Louisiana, complained about challenges facing Southern rice growers due to increased imports from countries such as India, Thailand and China. Kennedy said rice prices are the lowest in four years. "We do believe countries are dumping rice into this country today," Kennedy said. "Unfortunately, we're seeing it in a much bigger way."

Trump asked about more details and told Bessent to take notes. Trump said he could fix the issue. "Tariffs again -- it solves the problem in two minutes."

Trump added, "The farmers don't want aid, they want a level playing field."

Iowa farmer Cordt Holub told Trump, "You brought Christmas to farmers. With this bridge payment, we'll be able to farm another year."

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., also talked about improvements to the farmer safety net in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as well as crop insurance improvements, all of which will start next year -- suggesting a reduced need for ad-hoc payments.

"These tools will kick in next year in a big, big way for our farmers," Hoeven said.

FARM GROUPS SUPPORT AID, SEE MARKET NEEDS

Farm groups praised the aid announcement even before seeing details regarding how specific commodities will be treated.

Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the funding could make the difference between a farmer staying in business "or shuttering a family farm." Duvall also cited AFBF calculations that farmers are projected to lose $34 billion this year.

"America's farmers have been hit from every direction during this economic storm," Duvall said. "They face the same high prices as all of America's families, as more of their income is going to household bills and higher operating costs, including loans, equipment and supplies. At the same time, farmers are receiving historically low prices for most major crops -- they're expected to lose $34 billion this year alone."

National Farmers Union (NFU) said the assistance will help farmers at a time of serious stress. Still, the need for aid also reflects that farmers need long-term policy fixes to help family farms and ranches.

"In real-time, we are experiencing the consequences of farm policy that is woefully outdated," said Rob Larew, president of NFU. "The farm safety net can't keep up with today's economic realities. Input costs remain high, trade relationships are uncertain, access to affordable healthcare is in danger and the stress on rural communities continues to grow."

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), thanked the administration for the funding, but also added, "we need market-based solutions." NCGA called on Congress to pass legislation that would allow for the sale of year-round E15 as well.

Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association (ASA), said soybean farmers faced a "perfect storm of low crop prices, high production costs, and loss of markets." The FBA will offer some assistance to cover debt from 2025.

"While we await additional details, we believe the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program is a positive first step to restore certainty as soybean farmers market this year's crop and plan for the 2026 planting season," Ragland said. "We look forward to working with Congress and the administration on broader support for the farm economy, including long-term, market-driven solutions that strengthen demand for U.S. soy and allow farmers to compete and thrive in the global market."

Chris Clayton can be reached at Chris.Clayton@dtn.com

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