WASHINGTON, DC – On Saturday, December 21, 2024, President Joe Biden signed into law the American Relief Act of 2025. Congress overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan bill, a continuing resolution (CR) that will keep the Federal government operating through March 14, 2025. It also included farmer economic assistance, weather-related disaster relief for agriculture, and another 2018 Farm Bill extension.
The law provides for $10 billion in funding to make a one-time, emergency payment to eligible commodity producers, including rice farmers, for whom expected revenue in crop year 2024 is below the projected per-acre cost of production and stipulates that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has 90 days to implement the program from enactment of the law (March 21, 2025).
“USA Rice greatly appreciates key champions in Congress like Sen. John Boozman, Speaker Mike Johnson, and Reps. GT Thompson and Clay Higgins for delivering this much-needed market support for the U.S. rice industry as we continue to experience negative margins due to declining rice prices and high input costs and inflation,” said L.G. Raun, a Texas rice farmer and chair of the USA Rice Farmers. “This economic loss assistance will ensure many rice farmers will be able to continue farming this year, and we will continue working closely with Congress and USDA throughout its implementation.”
The CR also includes $21 billion for farmers who experienced losses due to natural disasters in 2023 and 2024, of which an estimated $18.7 billion will be available to design a program for commodity producers. As with prior iterations of natural disaster assistance, it will likely take the USDA several months to stand up the program.
“While economic headwinds are impacting every rice farmer, natural disasters the past couple of years have further harmed many operations,” Raun added. “Hurricanes and drought, among other weather events, caused issues for our producers, particularly quality losses. We are pleased the law makes quality losses eligible for this assistance and will work with USDA to see they are adequately accounted for.”
Additionally, the CR provides for a 2018 Farm Bill extension through September 30, 2025.
Raun concluded: “While we appreciate Congress delivering economic and weather-related aid, it is imperative that a new farm bill with meaningful improvements to the farm safety net, including an adequate increase in the Price Loss Coverage program rice reference price, is enacted early this year to provide us with longer-term certainty. USA Rice will continue our strong advocacy on behalf of America’s rice farmers.”
A more detailed summary of the rice-related provisions in the American Relief Act of 2025 can be found
here.