USDA Issues First ACRE Program Payments to Producers of Corn, Wheat and Other Commodities

Of the $420 million in payments, about 70 percent are expected to be issued to wheat producers and 23 percent to corn producers. About 80 percent of the payments are expected to be issued to producers in Oklahoma, Washington, Illinois, South Dakota, Idaho and North Dakota.

Nov 8 2010 --- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has said that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has started issuing an estimated $420 million in 2009 crop Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) payments to producers enrolled in the ACRE program for Wheat, corn, barley, dry peas, grain sorghum, lentils, oats, peanuts, soybeans, and upland cotton.

"These payments are an important part of the farm safety net because they help protect the farmers who provide America and the world with a reliable stream of food and commodities by buffering them from the effects of revenue declines," Vilsack said.

In order for producers to receive ACRE payments, revenue triggers for a commodity must be met on both a state and farm basis. The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) requires 2009 ACRE payments to be made as soon as practicable following the end of the marketing year, but no earlier than Oct. 1, 2010. Of the $420 million in payments, about 70 percent are expected to be issued to wheat producers and 23 percent to corn producers. About 80 percent of the payments are expected to be issued to producers in Oklahoma, Washington, Illinois, South Dakota, Idaho and North Dakota.

Congress established ACRE as part of the 2008 Farm Bill to protect producers from farm market revenue declines. A list of state payment rates for the 2009 crops of barley, corn, dry peas, lentils, oats, peanuts, grain sorghum, soybeans, upland cotton and wheat is available at http://go.usa.gov/CCS.

State payment rates for other commodities will be determined after the 2009-2010 marketing year average price is published by the National Agricultural Statistical Service. The scheduled publishing dates for the 2009-2010 marketing year average prices are as follows:

• Large chickpeas, small chickpeas, sunflower seed, canola, flaxseed, mustard seed, rapeseed, safflower, crambe and sesame seed – Nov. 30, 2010.
• Long grain rice and medium and short grain rice – Jan. 31, 2011.