USDA Launches Disaster Assistance for Ag Producers

In a major announcement on July 9, 2025, the Trump Administration unveiled a fast-tracked rollout of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP)—a $16 billion initiative aimed at helping farmers recover from natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. This program is part of a broader $30 billion disaster assistance package authorized by Congress and delivered under the leadership of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins.

As Texas’ largest ag lender and crop insurance provider, Capital Farm Credit is committed to helping our members understand and access this vital support.

What is the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP)?

This program provides assistance to producers for necessary expenses due to losses of revenue, quality or production of crops, trees, bushes, and vines due to weather related events in 2023 or 2024 calendar years. The program is being rolled out in 2 stages.

Stage 1 is providing payments for eligible crop, tree and vine losses to producers by using a pre-filled application process. The payments are using data already on file based on the producer receiving a NAP payment or an indemnity under certain federal crop insurance policies. Applications for stage 1 have been mailed to producers and shareholders if applicable. No deadlines to sign up at this time.

Producers must complete the pre-filled applications by answering boxes 16-18 for all units, sign and return to FSA (example below). Share is assumed to be 100% to the primary policyholder unless otherwise designated. The percentages should match FSA-reported shares. Note: All persons with shares must sign the application for it to be approved.

Stage 2 will target shallow losses and quality losses not indemnified or losses not covered by crop insurance or NAP. Signup is estimated to begin in Mid-September.

Who is Eligible?

Producers will determine if their losses were due to a qualifying disaster event covered under SDRP (table to follow). If the losses were due to a qualifying disaster event, the producer needs to list the event in box 18 on the SDRP application.

Does the disaster event (loss) need to match crop insurance records?

There could have been multiple loss events that occurred. If there was a qualifying disaster event mentioned above, the producers can choose which applicable event to list on their application.  

Estimated payment amount

There is an estimated SDRP payment listed on the application before the payment factor of 35% and payment limits are applied ($125,000). Separate payment limitations apply for each program year: 2023, 2024, and 2025. An optional increase in payment limitation can be submitted using Form FSA-510.

Payment calculation utilizes coverage level and claims data to determine estimated SDRP payment for each insured unit. The calculation generally follows the type of crop insurance coverage but replaces the coverage level with an SDRP factor.

Excluded Policies

• Cottonseed endorsement
• ECO/SCO/STAX
• Livestock (DRP, LRP and LGM)
• HIP (Hurricane Insurance Protection)
• PRF or AF with intended use of only grazing 

Linkage Requirements

Producers must obtain crop insurance or NAP coverage for the next 2 years at a coverage level of 60/100 or higher.

Questions

Do not alter the pre-filled data on the application. FSA will need to generate a corrected application if there are any mistakes.  

This information is intended to provide guidance and is not a substitute for producers to contact their local FSA office. Additional SDRP resources can be found here and the fact sheet for stage 1 is linked here. Our ISG team is available to help guide customers through the process.