Despite No New Farm Bill, Safety Net Programs Continue

The USDA is making payments to producers and landowners via a variety of programs.  While the 2014 Farm Bill has expired, the program payments have not.

"We're actually in between Farm Bills right now, but we still operating under the last farm bill's coverage of 2017 crop year and 2018 crop year," Agriculture Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey.

That means payments have arrived, or will soon arrive to producers and landowners enrolled in USDA Farm Safety Net and Conservation Programs covered in the Farm Bill, such as ARC, PLC, and the Conservation reserve program.

"We had about $3 billion worth or ARC and PLC payments and then about $1.8 Billion worth of CRP payments that went out as well."

Congressional Conference Committee members and staff, meanwhile, continue work to approve a new Farm Bill.  The hope is to have a 2018 Farm Bill signed into law by the end of the calendar year.

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