Subsidies
As farmers focus on changes to crop insurance ahead of the March 16 deadline, Ben Rand says some of the most valuable risk tools have existed for years, but there are also key changes farmers shouldn’t overlook.
Rice at $132.89 and cotton at $117.35 will receive the highest per-acre rates, but some have called payments a bandage in the midst of current farm economic crisis.
Find out how one leader in Congress is advocating a grounded approach to the Make American Healthy Again agenda.
The new rule is part of the Trump administration’s directives to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion policies across the federal government.
A recent congressional hearing addressed how U.S. crop protection companies and researchers use artificial intelligence to help farmers eradicate diseases, boost yields and stay competitive globally.
While 56% of farmers say they believe the ongoing trade disputes with China and other countries will hurt them financially this year, 70% say they believe the U.S. and agriculture specifically will benefit in the long-term.
On her list of issues to tackle, says Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, is deciding if farmers will need another round of assistance payments later this year and if USDA headquarters should be relocated.
The opportunity to participate comes available at a crucial time, as growers are experiencing low commodity prices, high input costs and a variety of trade uncertainties.
USDA is directing expedited processing to get farmers economic relief payments based on planted and prevented planted crop acres for the 2024 crop year.
Since being confirmed on Feb. 13, Secretary Rollins has been in the Washington D.C., USDA office for a few hours. Most of her time has been spent visiting farmers, ranchers and ag businesses in Kentucky, Kansas and at Top Producer Summit.
USDA will issue $1.7 billion through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and CRP Transition Incentive Program (CRP TIP). USDA will also distribute more than $447 million in ARC and PLC payments related to 2023 crops.
“If we step back and look at what that means for farmland, we’re taking our energy production system from highly centralized production facilities and we have to distribute it,” says David Muth.
The 2017 Tax Act temporarily raises estate tax exemption, impacting farm estates. If it expires, large farms with gross cash income between $1M and $5M would see the largest increase, rising from 2.8% to 7.3%.
Farmers are protesting across the European Union, saying they are facing rising costs and taxes, red tape, excessive environmental rules and competition from cheap food imports.
Every year, around this time, FSA mails letters to randomly selected farmers and landowners informing them they are facing an audit. If you receive a letter, don’t panic. Get help from experts who deal with FSA reviews.
Some Republican House and Senate members have expressed their concerns to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, particularly regarding the new payment formula used for ERP in 2022.
USDA has allocated more than $1.77 billion this year to agricultural producers and landowners through CRP. Since 2021, the CRP has witnessed a 21% increase in enrolled acres.
Sens. Chuck Grassley and Sherrod Brown have introduced the Farm Program Integrity Act. It would create a cap of $250,000 in commodity support for a single farm operation and, potentially, some undesirable side effects.
As drought creates a dire situation for farmers in the Southern Plains, National Sorghum Producers is not only concerned about the financial outlook for 2023, but how disaster aid payments will be dispersed for 2022.
A Senate Ag Committee hearing Thursday on the new farm bill raised a issue that is now evident: the Title 1 farm bill safety net can no longer deal with the current ag environment.
“It’s a mystery as to why the USDA began to hide the names of many recipients,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs for the Environmental Working Group.
For example, Rep. Ralph Norman in the past unsuccessfully pushed crop insurance amendments that would have cut premium incentives/subsidies by 15% for producers with specified adjusted gross incomes.
Data released by USDA on Monday shows the farm share of the U.S. food dollar hit an all-time low in 2021. However, USDA says the decrease doesn’t necessarily mean producers are making less.
Phase 2 is targeted to those who suffered losses in 2020 and 2021 but may not have received any payments under Phase 1. With Phase 2 underway, USDA said that the signup deadline for Phase 1 ERP will now be Dec. 16.
Included in Thursday’s announcement by the Biden administration asking Congress to approve $33B in total aid for Ukraine, is a proposal to increase wheat loan 63% to $5.52 bu.; oilseeds by 40%; rice and pulse 21%.
Restaurants closing early. Sign after sign plastered along roadsides with businesses looking for help. The hiring issue is crippling everything from manufacturing to the restaurant industry today.
A U.S. Farm Report viewer had a comment about a socialism, and so John Phipps is digging into the basics of socialism today.