Data Shows $30 Billion in USDA Pandemic-Related Funds Have Been Granted to Farmers and Ranchers

USDA data released this past Monday revealed U.S. farmers and ranchers received almost $30.6 billion in pandemic-relief payments over the last year and a half. The payments remain a major element in overall farm income this year as they were in 2020, projected to equal ¼ of total net farm income. Cattle producers received $1.19 billion in “top up” payments, eventually adding that amount to an overall total of $18.769 billion disbursed through the two iterations of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). USDA also announced Monday that it would issue $1.8 billion to farmers for the 2020 crop year through traditional farm subsidy programs. Even with currently high commodity prices, overall net farm income is projected to decline in 2022 with the expiration of these payments. Read more on pandemic payments.