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Rice sector benefits from latest USDA assistance

Rice has the highest per-acre payment rate in USDA’s new Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, at more than $132 per acre.

Jake Westlin with USA Rice says rice farmers have been challenged this year.

“The cost of production has increased over the years. But also, you know, rice prices are having a pretty challenging time right now. With the the global rice economy, there’s a lot of foreign rice that’s coming into the United States we’re trying to push back on, but also that’s driving prices down and that’s been a challenge for farmers.”

Westlin says more ad-hoc assistance from the USDA is a good start, but farmers need more help.

“You might have seen the Farm Bureau analysis back in October, where rice was projected to see a $364 per acre loss, on average. It costs about $1,300 per acre to to bring rice to harvest.”

He tells Brownfield he is optimistic Congress can help fill the gap for farmers as they return to Washington D.C.

“Lawmakers have had the opportunity to talk to folks and see what the per acre numbers are so that they can take that back and continue to see where the need is and appropriate additional resources.”

USDA’s program includes $11 billion for row crop farmers, and the one-time payments are expected to be made to eligible farmers by the end of February.