Programs and Policies

Read about the latest farm bill and the USDA programs available for your farming operation. This section includes details on farm policies, program eligibility, applications, and more.

Very large farms collect one-fifth of USDA’s coronavirus payments

The average USDA coronavirus relief payment to farmers is less than $16,000, but the biggest operators are getting payments that are 22 times larger.

Farmers exchanging money in a soybean field.

Article

Federal funding barrier: Billions more for farmers

President Trump wants a pre-election slush fund of up to $30 billion at USDA that he can spend with no strings attached, said the senior Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

A farmer holding money while sitting at a picnic table.

Article

Trump’s trade and coronavirus aid to agriculture could hit $50 billion

Sign-up opened on Monday and runs through Dec. 11 for CFAP2, the new iteration of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.

Corn kernels on a $100 bill.

Article

All Around the Farm

Retractable shop stairs

By All Around the Farm

Easy access to overhead storage and more room on the floor to park equipment are options with stairs that store close to the wall.

November 2020 IOM image

Article

Ageless Iron

Restoring a 1946 Allis Chalmers B

By Ageless Iron

FFA student Luke Wickett got a 1946 Allis Chalmers B in rough shape. Here's the restoration story.

Thumbnail image for 1946 Allis Chalmers B

Video

Machinery Insider

The reverse engineered tractor

By Machinery Insider

Interesting Iron takes a look at tractors that were re-engineered to serve a new role.

Article

U.S. wheat farmers are open for business

Global wheat trade continues and the U.S. is uniquely poised to retain its status as the supplier of choice of wheat to the world.

Vince Peterson, President, U.S. Wheat Associates

Article

H-2A worker delays causing concern down on the farm

There are challenges with social distancing with immigrant labor.

Article

Conservation Reserve rental rates fall by $8 an acre for new land

The USDA will pay an annual rent of $55 an acre on land entering the Conservation Reserve through the recently completed signup.

Article

How to Kill Rural Arkansas

In 1978, there were 2,366 dairy farms in the Arkansas Ozarks. By 2017 that had plummeted to 35, a 99% drop.

Article

Farm Worker Job Safety Analysis

Agricultural work ranks as one of the most hazardous occupations. Have a job safety analysis for employees to keep them safe.

People in field behind machine

Audio

Understanding, Managing Risks of On-Farm Crop Storage

For all the benefits of on-site storage bins, they carry some inherent risks that growers should keep in mind as they consider their insurance needs.

grain bins behind a soybean field

Article

Tip of the Day

Handy harrow carrier

After hand-seeding a narrow strip of wheat the grain drill missed between passes, I needed a way to transport a harrow section on my ATV... read more

News News

3 Big Things Today, October 27, 2020

USDA’s harvest numbers come in as expected by the trade

More than $7 billion paid to farmers for second round of CFAP

15 minutes with Wisconsin farmer, Doug Rebout

Farm Business