Wisconsin Ag Connection - Wisconsin Farmers Receive Safety-Net Payments

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Wisconsin Farmers Receive Safety-Net Payments
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 10/26/2016

The director of the Wisconsin Farm Service Agency says about $191 million will be paid out for the 2015 crop year to state farms that enrolled in safety-net programs established by the 2014 farm bill. Patty Edelburg says the programs, known as Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage, are designed to protect against unexpected drops in crop prices or revenues due to market downturns.

"These safety-net programs provide help when price and revenues fall below normal, unlike the previous direct payments program that provided funds even in good years," said Edelburg. "These payments will help provide reassurance to Wisconsin farm families, who are standing strong against low commodity prices compounded by unfavorable growing conditions."

For example, Edelburg says 71 counties in Wisconsin harvest corn and soybeans and those producers have experienced a 27 to 32 percent drop in prices below the benchmark price established by the ARC program.

"Payments by county can vary because average county yields will differ," she said.

Statewide, about 71,500 farms participated in ARC-County and 5,500 farms enrolled in PLC.

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