The timing and structure of farm aid payments have ag economists worried

Disaster aid is vital for many farms and ranches across the United States, but some are concerned with the timing of those payments, saying many farmers are left carrying a heavy burden.

Last December, Congress approved billions of dollars in disaster aid for farmers, but those checks did not start clearing until recently, with some producers having to wait until next month before that relief arrives. Economists at Texas A&M say crop protection tools are also failing, despite a big financial boost in the “Big, Beautiful Bill.”

Some producers are left with losses exceeding $100/acre, with ARC and PLC only covering 37 percent of that. They are calling for stronger trade deals and more ethanol markets to help keep farms afloat.

Related Stories
The changing political climate in America is leading to a drop in migrant crossings near the U.S.-Mexico border, where ranchers like Dr. Mike Vickers say they witnessed horrors from death to child trafficking.
Record milk output looks strong today, but shrinking replacement numbers mean future supply adjustments could be faster and more volatile.
A rapidly intensifying winter storm is expected to develop into a bomb cyclone this weekend, affecting the Southeast, southern Virginia, and potentially parts of the mid‑Atlantic and New England.
Brent Graves of StockShowAuctions.com takes us to Grayson County to see the damage from a historic winter ice storm and what it will take to rebuild.
Strong blending demand continues to support ethanol use even as production and exports fluctuate.
AFBF Economist Danny Munch shares a closer look at the dairy market and the forces impacting producers today.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Congressman Adrian Smith of Nebraska joined us with the latest on efforts to secure year-round E15 sales.
Nearly everyone in the South Texas ag community appears extremely worried about the potential of a New World screwworm epidemic, according to a local veterinarian. RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey reports.
Large-scale land purchases signal rising competition for ranchland, reinforcing its value while reshaping long-term access and control in rural agriculture.
Brian Earnest, an animal protein economist with CoBank, shares insights into current demand trends and the challenges facing broiler production.
Jack Hubbard, with the Center for the Environment and Welfare, shares context and perspective on the controversial letter about Prop 12 circulating in Washington and how a review shows it misled the public.
AFBF Economist Faith Parum discusses the financial challenges currently facing farmers and the Farm Bureau’s 2026 outlook for the farm economy.