MFP

Last week, farm experts from across the country told House Ag lawmakers that crop insurance and other farm safety net programs are working, but the pandemic has shown that some fixes are needed. Farmers needed more than crop insurance and for ARC and PLC to survive the pandemic as well as the trade wars, programs like CFAP, WHIP+ and MFP payments were all needed ...

When the coronavirus pandemic started to spread across the country back in March, the USDA's local service service centers had to adjust, moving to maximum telework status. But according to Farm Service Agency Administrator Richard Fordyce, the agency's was really not equipped for the transition ...

A new report says the Market Facilitation Program created deep regional inequities, favored certain crops over others, and funneled money to large agricultural operations over smaller farms. Senator Debbie Stabenow, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Ag Committee, announced the Government Accountability Office report ...

Farmland cash rent rates remain stable in 2020, according to a Market Intel analysis by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The analysis found that during 2020, the average cash rental rates for cropland, irrigated cropland and pastureland were $139 per acre, $216 per acre and $13 per acre, respectively ...

Very few good things have come from the coronavirus pandemic, but perhaps the future of agriculture could benefit from the social distancing requirements of today. Barry Bushue, Director of the Oregon FSA said prior to the pandemic, they offered limited on-line tools to process losses or to make answering basic questions easier.  Bu ...

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall says it’s almost time for a new round of Market Facilitation payments. Duvall said slow implementation of new trade deals, complicated by the COVID-19 crisis, warrants a third round of Market Facilitation payments. ...

Despite volatile and uncertain markets, interest appears to be growing in farmland purchases. Farmers National Company reports a small increase in land buying interest from individual investors. The company specializes in farm management, real estate sales and auctions ...

Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue recently visted Capitol Hill where he thanked members of the House Agriculture Committee for helping farmers during a very difficult 2019. "Spring flooding in the Midwest , continuation of cold wet conditions and then  as you well know experienced and early blizzard," Perdue noted. ...

Texas A & M University published its analysis of the Trump administration’s trade aid program. The study’s authors say, “There’s no denying that the trade aid package, especially the Market Facilitation Program, has had a significant impact on farm income in the U.S.” Across all of t ...

The Government Accountability Office is looking into President Trump’s $28 billion Market Facilitation Program.  The GAO is investigating allegations that the money was mismanaged and distributed unfairly.   The investigation came at the request of Michigan Democrat Debbie Stabenow, who says she thinks the aid program was biased.  She argues th...