USDA Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP)

Mar 24, 2025

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating up to $10 billion directly to agricultural producers through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) for the 2024 crop year. This funding aims to support growers facing multiple years of low crop prices combined with high input costs.

The economic relief payment, approved under the American Relief Act, is determined by the number of planted and prevented-planted crop acres in 2024 for eligible commodities. Corn will receive a payment rate of $42.91 per acre, while wheat will be paid at a rate of $30.69 per acre. A complete list of eligible commodities is available here.

Growers can use the payment calculator to estimate their payment amount for eligible commodities and acreage. Payments will be distributed as applications are approved, with initial payments calculated at 85% to ensure the total program payments stay within available funding. If there are remaining funds, the FSA may issue a second payment.

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Video: Our Own On-Farm Research Is the Best Source - Managing White Mold in Northeast Nebraska

If you assumed Nebraska was too hot and dry for white mold to be a problem in soybeans, think again.

This week we're featuring Galen Samuelson, a farmer and dealer from Wakefield, Nebraska, who knows all too well how devastating white mold can be.

"We don't have it consistently every year, but with our temperature and humidity, it can hurt us quite bad," Samuelson says. Looking for alternatives, he explains, "What I like about Heads Up is that it's non-harmful to the beneficial fungal colonies in the soil." Galen has been using Heads Up for several years now, after first hearing about it through a small ad in a regional newspaper. Watch below to hear about his journey.

When asked to write about Samuelson Seed, Galen said the following:

"Samuelson Seed is a 4th-generation, family-based company. It started with my grandfather, and I'm now starting to pass the torch to my son, Caleb."

"In the early 1990s, I started working with a company whose focus was on plant and soil health before those benefits were widely known. I've continued to keep plant and soil health the main focus in our farming operation decisions."