USDA issues safety-net and conservation payments to Kansas farmers

USDA Kansas Farm Service Agency Executive Director David Schemm announced that approximately $283,670,959 has been paid to Kansas farms that enrolled in Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage for 2017 market downturns.

“ARC and PLC were authorized by the 2014 farm bill to protect farmers against unexpected drops in crop prices or revenues,” Schemm said. “These payments help provide reassurance to Kansas farm families who continue to persevere, even in this tough farm economy.”

According to Schemm, PLC payments have triggered for 2017 barley, canola, corn, grain sorghum, wheat and other crops. In the next few months payments will be triggered for rice, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, flaxseed, mustard seed, rapeseed, safflower, crambe and sesame seed. Producers with bases enrolled in ARC for 2017 crops can visit www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc for updated crop yields, prices, revenue and payment rates. In Kansas, all 105 counties experienced a drop in price and/or revenues below the benchmark price established by the ARC or PLC programs and received payments.

“It’s important to remember that ARC and PLC payments by county can vary because average county yields will differ,” Schemm said.

Also, this week, USDA issued Conservation Reserve Program rental payments to landowners for their commitment to conservation stewardship. In Kansas, landowners received $77.3 million in 2018 CRP payments to support voluntary conservation efforts on private lands to improve water quality, reduce soil erosion and improve wildlife habitat.

“Since its inception in the 1980s, CRP has built upon the voluntary participation of farmers and landowners to take sensitive land out of production and establish land cover to improve the environment,” Schemm said.

For more information about USDA programs or to locate the nearest USDA Service Center, visit www.farmers.gov.