USDA Alabama Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting State Executive Director, Jacqueline McCloud, announced that approximately 180,000 Alabama farms that enrolled in safety-net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill will receive financial assistance for the 2016 crop year. The programs, known as Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), are designed to protect against unexpected drops in crop prices or revenues due to market downturns.
“These safety-net programs provide help when price and revenue fall below normal,” said McCloud. “Payments to wheat, oats, peanuts, corn, barley, grain sorghum and canola producers are helping provide reassurance to our Alabama farm families who are standing strong against low commodity prices compounded by unfavorable growing conditions.”
Producers in 66 Alabama counties have experienced a significant drop in prices or revenues below the benchmark established by the ARC or PLC program and thus, will receive payments totaling $80.5 million.
“Payments by county for an eligible commodity can vary because average county yields will differ,” said McCloud.
Statewide, over 180,000 farms participated in ARC-County and PLC. More details on the price and yield information used to calculate the financing assistance from the safety-net programs are available on the FSA website at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc and www.fsa.usda.gov/al.