The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced this week payments are being made to farmers enrolled in the ARC and PLC farm safety net programs. South Dakota Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Craig Schaunaman says Tuesday they began sending out the payments via electronic transfer.
He says they hope to know by next week what South Dakota’s allotment is of the more than $ 7 billion in national payments.
Schaunaman says the payments are coming at a good time for farmers who’ve been struggling with low commodity prices.
The 2014 farm bill authorized the ARC and PLC safety net to trigger and provide financial assistance only when decreases in revenues or crop prices, respectively occur. Schaunaman says later this month, his office will also send out conservation reserve program payments.
