(Washington, D.C., February 20, 2026) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing $150 million in assistance to American sugar beet and sugar cane farmers in response to temporary market disruptions and increased production and processing costs. These one-time payments build upon the previously announced Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program and Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program which are designed to ensure producers have the financial stability needed to continue operations and plan for the upcoming crop year.
USDA will work with sugar processors in the coming months to finalize agreements that will deliver assistance directly to farmer-members.
“President Trump is committed to standing by all of our great American farmers who were unjustly hurt by President Biden’s economic mismanagement that drove up the cost of inputs and dereliction of global trade that impacted commodity markets,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “Today’s announcement serves as a bridge to improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made to the U.S. sugar program including the first meaningful increase to sugar loan rates in 40 years.”
Disaster Assistance Provided to Beet Sugar Cooperatives
USDA is also providing $89.1 million in weather-related disaster assistance to sugar beet producers who suffered losses due to excessive heat in 2024. This funding, provided by Congress via the American Relief Act, 2025, will be administered through eligible beet sugar cooperatives. Producers who are members of these cooperatives should contact their cooperative for more information.
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