By now you should have received a pre-filled application in the mail for the newly announced U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rice Production Program (RPP), which offers assistance rice farmers during the 2022 crop year.

Funding for the $250 million rice farmer assistance program was championed by Senator John Boozman (R-AR) and included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, the end of year Federal government spending measure.

Rice farmers who certified rice planted acres in the 2022 crop year should have received a pre-filled application (FSA-174, Rice Production Program Application) by mail from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), including the farmer’s FSA certified rice acres and either the farmer’s actual production history (APH) yield or an area (county) FSA-determined yield.  For those farmers with rice acres that were prevented from planting, a 60 percent factor will be applied.

In addition to the pre-filled applications, producers must also submit the following forms, if not already on file with FSA, within 60 days of the RPP application deadline: AD-2047, CCC-901 (if applicable), CCC-902, and AD-1026.

Deadline to sign and return applications to the farmer’s local FSA office is by close of business on Monday, July 10, 2023. Applications may be submitted in person or by mail, email, or facsimile.

Farmers who reported rice to FSA by the acreage reporting deadline but do not receive a pre-filled application may still apply by visiting their local FSA office and completing the application by the deadline.  

Payments should be received by farmers shortly after their applications are received by FSA.
Additional information on RPP can be found here.