USDA Sets $8 Billion Harvest Fuel Relief Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will make $8 billion available for one-time payments to farmers through its Harvest Fuel Relief program, using a formula based on modeled losses during the 2026 crop year, the department said. The program is intended to help producers facing temporary market disruptions and higher input costs, including fuel expenses. The Farm Service Agency will administer the payments under authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act. Rather than reimburse claims for verified damage at individual farms, the program will provide a proportional share of modeled losses, according to the USDA. The agency said its calculation will use planted-acreage data reported to the Farm Service Agency, production-cost estimates from the Economic Research Service, and yield and price data from the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates. The USDA has not announced individual payment amounts or the application period. Payment rates for Title I commodities are due in November, while the methodology for other eligible commodities will be announced later. Specialty-crop growers and fishermen may submit information about increased fuel costs for the...