USDA Provides More than $3.3 Million to Geographically Disadvantaged Producers for Transportation Costs

(Palmer, Alaska, March 10, 2026) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is issuing more than $3.3 million to nearly 1,200 applicants through the 2025 Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment (RTCP) program. The RTCP reimburses eligible farmers and livestock producers outside the contiguous U.S., including those in Alaska, for a portion of the cost of transporting agricultural products or inputs used to produce an agricultural commodity over long distances.

"By offsetting the substantial transportation expenses faced by farmers and livestock producers, this vital program helps reduce financial strain, preserves reliable access to markets, and reinforces the long-term viability of agricultural operations in more remote areas," said Arthur Keyes, State Executive Director for FSA in Alaska. "Nearly 215 producers in Alaska will receive roughly $561,000 to help mitigate the increased transportation costs."

The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, reauthorized RTCP funding and allows farmers and livestock producers in Alaska, Hawaii and insular areas including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands of the United States, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands and Republic of Palau, to recover costs to transport agricultural commodities or inputs used to produce an agricultural commodity.

RTCP payments are calculated based on the costs incurred for transportation of the agricultural commodity or inputs during a fiscal year, subject to an $8,000 per producer cap per fiscal year.

More Information

To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center.Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and view other farm records data and customer information by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don't have an account, sign up today.