OVERVIEW

An “assignment of payment” is a service provided by the Farm 

Service Agency (FSA) for producers. Producers who are eligible to 

receive specified program payments from FSA or Commodity Credit 

Corporation (CCC) programs may arrange to have all or part of their 

payments assigned directly to another party either by electronic 

funds transfer (EFT) using the Automated Clearing House (ACH) 

method or by check. This allows a third party,

such as a person or entity, to receive a selected program payment 

directly from FSA/CCC in lieu of receiving the payment from a 

producer.

HOW TO ASSIGN A PROGRAM PAYMENT

To assign eligible FSA or CCC program payments, producers must 

either use the web-based Assignment application or submit a completed form CCC-36, Assignment of Payment, and form CCC-252, 

Instrument of Assignment, to their local FSA service center.

Payments issued to assignees (third parties) can be processed 

through the EFT system. The assignee must complete and sign form 

SF-3881, ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment, to initiate 

EFT transactions.

ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS FOR ASSIGNED PAYMENTS

Many FSA and CCC programs are eligible for assignment of 

payments. Producers may assign program payments, as specified 

by program law or regulation, for FSA and CCC programs that have 

been publicly announced except for FSA or CCC loans or purchase 

agreement proceeds.

ASSIGNMENT CONDITIONS

An assignment of payment may be for any purpose and must be for 

a specific amount, but cannot be used:

• For a reassigned payment;

• When the assigned payment is the subject of an administrative 

appeal; or

• When the dollar amount being assigned is not stated.

Producers must inform the local FSA service center immediately 

of any changes affecting an assigned payment, such as when an 

assigned amount needs to be reduced or an assignment needs to be 

terminated. After the assignment is established, the assignee must 

concur before a change is applied or an assignment is terminated.

OVERPAYMENTS OF ASSIGNED 

PAYMENTS

The assignee agrees to repay promptly to 

the Federal government any amount by 

which the assigned payment exceeds the 

amount secured by the assignment. The 

assignor (producer) and assignee agree 

that they will promptly notify the FSA 

service center office of a change affecting 

an assignment. The assignment may be 

revoked at any time by written request 

signed by the assignee.

ASSIGNMENT PAYMENT PRIORITY

If there is any indebtedness owed by the 

producer to the Federal government on the 

day a payment is being made, the amount 

may be subtracted from the assigned 

payment before it is made to the assignee 

according to the special provision related to 

assignments as stated on the reverse side 

of form CCC-36, Assignment of Payment.

United States

Department of

Agriculture FARM SERVICE AGENCY

Assigning FSA and CCC Payments

FACT SHEET - MAY 2021
 ASSIGNING FSA AND CCC PAYMENTS 

REPRODUCING ELECTRONIC FORM CCC-36

Form CCC-36 is available at the local FSA service 

centers. Producers, financial institutions or third 

parties can also print the form by accessing the USDA 

eForms web site at http://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/.

A financial institution may create an electronic version 

of CCC-36. However, the created electronic version 

must:

• Be the mirror image of the most current version 

of the form;

• Contain all privacy act information;

• Include the following verbiage along the 

bottom margin of the form: “Electronic version 

reproduced by (insert name of company) using 

(insert name of software used)”; and

• Be registered with the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Farm Production and Conservation 

Business Center, Directives, Forms and Records 

Management Branch.

GAINING ACCESS TO THE WEB- BASED 

ASSIGNMENT APPLICATION

In order to protect personal identity, an assignor or 

assignee must first register for a Level 2 account with 

USDA’s e-Authentication system to obtain a user ID 

FACT SHEET - MAY 2021

and password. The process is easy and starts online 

by creating a user ID and password and confirming 

the user’s email address. Producers may sign up for an 

e-Authentication Level 2 account at www.eauth.egov.

usda.gov. Producers are required to follow the steps 

below to obtain a Level 2 account:

• Complete the customer profile and submit it

 online;

• After submitting the customer profile, the customer 

will receive a confirmation email and must respond 

to it within 7 days to activate the account; and

• The producer must complete the “Identity Proofing” 

process by visiting a local FSA service center and 

presenting a government- issued photo ID, such as 

a driver’s license. Or by using the recommended 

self-service “Online Identity Verification Application” 

which requires entering your Social Security Number (SSN) and answering 5 quiz questions provided 

by a nationally known third-party identity proofing 

service.

Once an assignor or assignee has obtained a Level 2 

e-Authentication ID, the secured FSA Financial Services 

web site becomes available to complete an assignment 

for the assignor or assignee registered to the user ID. 

Log on to the FSA web site at fsa.usda.gov, and select 

“Online Services” from the top banner. From the “Online Services” page, select “Financial Services” under the 

“Related Topics” banner.

For additional information to gain access to the webbased assignment application, and other FSA financial 

services, including “Financial Inquiries for FSA Producers,” contact your local FSA service center.

LIABILITY

If payment inadvertently is not made to an assignee in 

accordance to a submitted assignment request Neither 

the United States of America, the CCC, FSA the Secretary 

of Agriculture, any disbursing officer, nor any other 

Government employee or official shall be subject to any 

suit or liable for payment of any amount.

More Information 

This fact sheet is for informational purposes only; other 

restrictions may apply. For more information about 

ELAP, visit fsa.usda.gov or contact your local FSA office. 

To find your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.