Arkansas farmers could see more than $150M in disaster relief
April 28, 2026
By Mary Hightower
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- USDA announces second round of disaster payments
- Second round payment factor doubled
- Farmers eligible for additional payment on approved applications
(554 words)
LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas farmers being squeezed hard by higher fuel and input prices this year could see more than $150 million in total disaster relief with a second round of Supplemental Disaster Relief Program payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In announcing the additional Supplemental Disaster Relief Program payments last Friday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins also said the deadline to apply for relief will be extended from April 30 to August 12.
The SDRP payments go to eligible producers with approved program applications for losses due to natural disasters in calendar years 2023 and 2024. USDA’s Farm Service Agency has already provided $6.7 billion in SDRP payments to eligible producers. The extended deadline aims to give producers and FSA more time to address any program application changes that could impact payments.
“As of April 24, SDRP payments to Arkansas farmers totaled around $76 million,” Hunter Biram, extension economist for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said on Tuesday. “Assuming a doubling of the payment rate from 35 percent to 70 percent, total payments to Arkansas farmers would total around $152 million.
“The first 35 percent of these payments covered economic and disaster-related losses in 2023 and 2024 and were received mostly in 2025,” he said.
“To put this into perspective, farm income for row crops was at a loss of around $750 million after accounting for other assistance received in 2025,” Biram said. “This ‘top up’ over the initial SDRP payments from USDA will cover around 10 percent of this negative net farm income.”
Over the past year, USDA has made more than $17.9 billion in supplemental disaster assistance available to U.S. farmers and ranchers, as mandated by Congress in the American Relief Act of 2025. In addition to the $6.7 billion in SDRP payments, USDA has provided approximately $9.3 billion through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program and nearly $1.9 billion through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program.
Stages and eligibility
The first stage of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program, announced in July 2025, remains available to producers who received an indemnity under crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, or NAP, for eligible crop losses due to qualifying 2023 and 2024 natural disaster events.
Stage 2 of SDRP covers eligible crop, tree, bush and vine losses that were not covered under Stage 1 program provisions, including non-indemnified, uncovered and quality losses.
Eligible losses must be the result of natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2023 or 2024. These disasters include wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, tornadoes, winter storms, freezes, ncluding polar vortexes; smoke exposure, excessive moisture, qualifying drought and related conditions.
To qualify for drought-related losses, the loss must have occurred in a county rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as having a D2 — severe drought — for eight consecutive weeks, D3 —extreme drought — or greater intensity level during the applicable calendar year.
For more information on SDRP, please visit the FSA Supplemental Disaster Relief Program website.
To learn more about program details and indemnity, read Stronger farm safety net included in the OBBB Act, “Skinny” Farm Bill, and SDRP disaster payments, or listen to the podcast.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land-grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media Contact:
Nick Kordsmeier
Nkordsme@uada.edu