U.S. government checks constituted 40% of farmers' income in 2020: USDA

[UpInArms]

Source: AP via Marketwatch

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Thanks to the government paying nearly 40% of their income, U.S. farmers are expected to end 2020 with higher profit than 2019 and the best net income in seven years, the Department of Agriculture said in its latest farm income forecast.

Farmers faced challenges throughout 2020 that included the impact of trade disputes; low prices that drove down cash receipts for corn, cotton, wheat, chicken, cattle and hogs; and weather difficulties such as drought in some areas and an unusual August wind storm stretching from South Dakota to Ohio that centered on Iowa.

Farm cash receipts are forecast to decrease nearly 1% to $366.5 billion, the lowest in more than a decade, measured in real dollars. Direct federal government payments saved farmers’ bottom line: Farmers overall saw a 107% increase in direct payments from 2019, when a third of net income came directly from the government.

... snip ...

Excluding USDA loans and insurance indemnity payments made by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, farmers are expected to receive $46.5 billion from the government, the largest direct-to-farm payment ever. That includes $32.4 billion in assistance through coronavirus pandemic relief food assistance and Paycheck Protection Program payments to farmers. Additional support comes from more traditional revenue loss programs due to low commodity prices, compensation for trade disruptions resulting from tariff battles and conservation programs assistance.

... snip ...

“At first it did help, but then we kept getting payments and I don’t know that those were warranted,” said Rick Juchems, 65, who grows corn and soybeans and custom raises hogs. “The markets had already recovered quite a bit and they’re recovering yet more, so it helps some but it’s one of those things that the second one was more than we needed.”

Read more: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-government-checks-constituted-40-of-farmers-income-in-2020-usda-01609444429?mod=mw_latestnews

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This explains these gawdawful farmers for trump signs that are still up

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Nothing says free market capitalism like government subsidies

Reward the unprofitable! All welfare to the corporations!

[Bradshaw3]

2. The takers

Who don't "big gubmint" in their lives.

[randr]

3. Fucking Socialists

[Skittles]

4. look who is getting a handout

indeed

[ananda]

5. That's how Trump bought their votes.

It really sucks!

[Wellstone ruled]

6. That is Reality.

Watch Nixon,Reagan,and two Bushes do the same scam.

[badboy67]

7. Socialism.

[keithbvadu2]

8. Socialists

[DENVERPOPS]

15. THANK YOU KEITH

my thinking exactly.......Fuck the farmers over with ludicrous Chinese tariffs, then cover your parties ass with Taxpayers money.......

[Marcuse]

30. He's still telling them that the tariffs (ergo the subsidies) are paid by China.

Joe didn’t even call him on it in the last debate.

[keithbvadu2]

9. Hold that socialism?

[mountain grammy]

10. Welfare for farmers

[reader1]

11. Hypocrites

These so-called farmers are mostly engaged in mono crop agriculture, to either export to China or for ethanol bio-fuel. They are mostly Trump supporters who are normally disdainful to anyone collecting food stamp just to survive, while at the time do not mind collecting tax payer money to continue living their comfortable lifestyle.

[murielm99]

27. Broadbrush stereotyping.

If our lifestyle is comfortable, it is because my husband and I have always worked off-farm jobs.

[Hekate]

12. And we don't have enough subsidized food for millions of hungry Americans? nt

[yaesu]

13. No wonder the farmer across the road has a "yuge" tRump flag a flyin. nt

[BumRushDaShow]

14. "but then we kept getting payments"

Then write out a damn check to the U.S. Treasury and give it back.

[TeamPooka]

16. "rugged individualists"

[Miigwech]

18. All over farm country up here. He bought their vote months ago. BTW, all christian fundies.

[iluvtennis]

19. Socialism is okay for the farmers, but not for everyday working folks displaced by the pandemic. nt

[Wolf Frankula]

21. Are they gonna have to spend winters in the US

instead of the Bahamas or Bermuda? The poor farmers.

Wolf

[roamer65]

22. End all agricultural subsidies.

Let them sink or swim like any other business.

[murielm99]

33. Then they would sink,

especially the small farmers. Food prices would skyrocket.

Would you like me to come and take 40% of your income, if that is indeed an accurate figure? I know it is not accurate for us.

[roamer65]

34. That 40 pct is debt that I have to pay interest on through my taxes.

Nearing $28 trillion and counting.

https://www.usdebtclock.org/

[murielm99]

35. I don't know who is getting the checks mentioned

in the article posted in the OP. We certainly are not getting them. I don't know anyone around here who is getting them.

You pay interest on the nutrition programs supported by the USDA. You pay interest on welfare programs, actually a very small part of our overall budget. You pay interest on our defense budget, too.

I doubt that you know much about agriculture, about crop insurance and price supports. Do some research.

[roamer65]

36. I do know. I grew up on a farm.

Last edited Sat Jan 2, 2021, 06:59 PM - Edit history (1)

Most of the entities receiving these payments are large corporate and LLC level farms near where I grew up. That is why I support cutting them completely. The vast majority of these payments are corporate welfare. If it is a corporation, we should NOT be subsidizing it.

I would definitely support a compromise where only family farms got support payments.

[murielm99]

37. Good luck separating the family farms.

Many families incorporate. Growing up on a farm is not the same thing. Farming has changed.

[roamer65]

38. Yeah. Very few farms are family owned in my area of MI. Most are owned by corporate entities.

My dad knows the area and he tells me about it.

My dad was dairy farmer of 30 plus years.

Milk companies won’t even take on small operations anymore here.

[murielm99]

23. Most of the USDA's budget

goes to nutrition. Google it.

I can attest to the fact that many farmers could not survive without the subsidies. The cost of production is high. Always. Prices are never guaranteed. Weather is never predictable.

I would encourage everyone to read the entire article. You certainly cherry picked what you chose to post from it.

No wonder we can't get farmers and other rural people to vote for Democrats. We condemn them without understanding their needs and problems. And those of you who condemn us most loudly know very little about agriculture.

We farm. We are Democratic activists as well.

The groupthink here will kick in just as 2021 kicks in. I will sit back and wait for all the negative comments. Happy fucking new year.

[UpInArms]

24. I live in farming country

I understand a lot more than you know.

[murielm99]

25. If that is true,

why did you post such a biased article, and cherry pick the way you presented it?

I am tired of the blanket condemnation of agriculture I see on DU.

I belong to a group that is under the Indivisible umbrella. A few of us are farmers. We are reaching out to other farmers and agricultural workers. We are asking members of the Farm Bureau and Pork Producers to meet with us over Zoom, to answer questions and hold some discussions. We are not going to turn them into Democrats, but we are going to try to look for common ground and understand each other as neighbors and citizens. Maybe DU members should try doing something similar.

You have not shown me that you understand "a lot more" than I know.

[mcar]

31. Thank you for your efforts and perspective, Muriel.

[Journeyman]

26. As you not sew, so shall ye still reap . . .

[murielm99]

32. That would be sow, not sew.

Do you have any other highly informed opinions on agriculture that you would like to share?

[Yeehah]

28. Those self-reliant patriotic famers hate socialism

so I'm sure they're going to send the checks back.

[miyazaki]

29. I should have started an ant farm to get a big fat check