The first two rounds of Market Facilitation Program payments totaled $10.7 billion. The top five states receiving payments included: Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Texas and Kansas. Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish says without those funds, many farmers in his state may have gone out of business.

He’s not surprised at the $10.7 billion figure for the MFP payments.

Wertish says there will likely be another round of MFP payments despite recent success on the trade front with House passage of the USMCA, the bilateral trade pact with Japan and a Phase One China deal.

Signup for MFP 2.0 ended December 20. They’re now watching to see if USDA announces a third round of payments in early January.