Farm bill implementation continues as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awards $6 million to universities and cooperative state extension services to help train experts to educate farmers about farm bill programs. Farmers and ranchers can use these online decision tools and other materials to help them better understand the programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill, according to USDA.
The Agricultural and Food Policy Center (AFPC) at Texas A&M University, the University of Illinois and the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri will receive a total of $3 million. The funds will be used to develop the new online tools and train state Extension agents to assist farmers and ranchers.
Detailed information of the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs will be part of the educational tools. An online Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP) will be available when sign-up begins late this summer. The resource for the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) will be available in the fall for the 2015 crop year.
State cooperative Extension services will also receive $3 million from USDA. The funds will be used to conduct public education outreach meetings to connect local Extension agents and Farm Service Agency (FSA) staff. These meetings are slated to begin late this summer.
ARC and PLC projected payments, ARC guarantees and PLC payment rate projections are available for farmers and ranchers on the Farm Service Agency (FSA) website.