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Georgia Cotton Commission Welcomes Emergency Commodity Assistance Program
Taylor Sills, Georgia Cotton Commission

On March 18th, which was also National Agriculture Day, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke
Rollins announced the availability of funding for the new Emergency Commodity Assistance
Program (ECAP).  This program seeks to aid American row crop producers who are reeling from
depressed commodity markets and unsustainable input prices.  The Georgia Cotton Commission
is appreciative of this streamlined implementation.
Colquitt County cotton producer Bart Davis, who also serves as the Chairman of the Georgia
Cotton Commission, said “We again thank Congress for the passage of the bill that included this
program, and are especially appreciative of President Trump, Secretary Rollins, and the entire
team at USDA for making implementation of ECAP a priority.”  Davis later noted the current
state of the farm economy adding “this will help producers obtain critical financing, which is
extremely difficult in the current economic environment.”
ECAP signup begins March 19th and will finish August 15th.  Eligibility is determined based on
a producer’s crop year 2024 planted and prevented planted acres reported to USDA-FSA on a
FSA-578.  The payment rate for cotton is $84.74 per acre and the initial payments will be
factored by 85% to ensure that program payments do not exceed available funding.  Producers
are directed to their local USDA Service Center for additional information and questions.
The Georgia Cotton Commission is a producer-funded organization located in Perry, Georgia.
The Commission began in 1965. Georgia cotton producers pay an assessment enabling the
Commission to invest in programs of research, promotion, and education on behalf of all cotton
producers of Georgia. For more information about the Georgia Cotton Commission please call
478-988-4235 or on the web at www.georgiacottoncommission.org.