The U.S. Department of Agriculture has tightened the eligibility rules for commodity programs. Under the changes published in the Federal Register this week, a payment recipient must provide either 25 percent of a farm’s total management hours on an annual basis or perform at least 500 hours of management annually. Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish is pleased to see those rules tightened.

He says those farm program payments need to go only to those actively engaged in farming.

Wertish says the recent low commodity prices along with the negative impacts of the pandemic have shown there are producers that need the government aid.

USDA’s new rule means the management requirements apply to everyone, not just cousins, nieces, nephews but literally everyone who is claiming to be actively engaged on the basis of management only

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