After a tumultuous year, Colorado farmers could receive federal money in February

Farmers’ organizations in Colorado are welcoming $12 billion in relief funds announced this week by the USDA.

The money will largely be dispersed through the USDA’s Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. A press release described the funding as being “in response to temporary trade market disruptions.” 

“President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind,” USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said in the announcement.

The majority of the funding will be distributed to farmers who raise certain eligible commodity crops. While primarily a ranching state, Colorado also has a robust row cropping market, including corn, sorghum and wheat. 

Eligible farmers must submit an application by Dec. 19 detailing what crops they’ve planted and how many acres. Successful applicants should receive payments by the end of February.

USDA’s quick turnaround in distributing the funds “should be applauded,” according to Ashley House, vice president of Strategy and Advocacy for the Colorado Farm Bureau. She said payments would amount to a maximum of $155,000 per applicant.

“It's coming at a really needed time,” said House. “We're up against the wire here, planting decisions need to be made. Spring will be here before we know it.”

For years, persistent high inflation has eaten away at farmers’ bottom lines across the U.S. The industry has also been waiting since 2023 for Congress to pass a new five-year farm bill, relying since on short-term extensions.

Since President Donald Trump took office in January, issues have compounded. The administration’s aggressive trade policies have been enacted through rapidly changing bilateral negotiations with individual nations. 

“That sets up a lot of uncertainty,” House said. “It’s not the way we traditionally negotiate big export-import trade deals.”

Some of these bilateral talks have produced gains for American agriculture, including an agreement with the United Kingdom announced in May. But the Trump Administration’s trade actions have also triggered retaliatory tariffs from major trading partners — most notably China — that have driven up costs and hurt export markets.

“We have no predictability at this point,” said Colorado Cattlemen’s Association President Curt Russell. Ranchers in the state have complained that recent deals to increase beef imports from Argentina and rolling back steep tariffs on Brazilian beef are hurting the domestic market.

“I am somewhat disturbed by the fact that this administration has also seen fit to try to drive down the price of the product that we produce at a time when we are finally able to make a profit,” Russell said. While he represents ranchers, not row croppers, many Colorado ranchers also grow commodity grains and could be eligible. 

Livestock producers are not eligible for the $12 billion in USDA relief. The remaining $1 billion not specifically designated for commodity producers will be reserved for other specialty crops, according to the USDA. However, timelines and details for those payments are still under development. 

Despite his frustrations with the administration, Russell said he was not angered by ranchers not being included in this week’s USDA relief announcement. He said the state’s farmers have “really taken a beating” in the last year, and the money will help them.

As far as House is concerned, she hopes the USDA’s $12 billion is “a bridge to something else” — like a complete farm bill. 

“They know the state of the farm economy is such that it's going to take injections of capital or monetary investment from several different sources to make farmers whole again,” she said.