By Tyson Redpath, The Russell Group
Signup remains open until December 6 for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Market Facilitation Program (MFP). Announced in May, the USDA Market Facilitation Program compensates farmers and ranchers financially hurt by the retaliatory tariffs imposed by key importing nations negotiating revised trade agreement terms and conditions with the Trump Administration.
The MFP will provide payments to eligible producers of temperate japonica rice. Assistance is based on a single-county payment rate multiplied by a farm’s total plantings of MFP-eligible crops in aggregate in 2019. Single county payment rates can be found at this link .
Per-acre payments are not dependent on which of those crops are planted in 2019. A producer’s total payment-eligible plantings cannot exceed total 2018 plantings. County payment rates range from $15 to $150 per acre, depending on the impact of trade retaliation in that county. Acreage of non-specialty must be planted by August 1, 2019 to be considered eligible for MFP payments.
