USDA is releasing more details on how farmers will prove yields for the Market Facilitation Program payments they receive as part of the agency’s trade aid program. USDA Under Secretary Bill Northey says farmers will need to provide the same data they use to certify production for the Risk Management Agency for crop insurance.
He says RMA data will be the easiest and best standard for farmers to use in proving yields if there is a second Market Facilitation Program payment as well.
Northey says the agency looked at using 2017 production or even historical yields to determine payments. They settled on 2018 production even though it’s problematic with some farmers experiencing lower yields due to drought or flood.
Both the Senate and House versions of the farm bill are looking at using RMA instead of NASS data to certify production for the ARC and PLC programs. Northey is hopeful that will make it through to the final version of the bill.
