The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released a report detailing the current landscape of the farm safety net system. The report titled “Unsustainable: State of the Farm Safety Net,” analyzes the distribution of public funds in crop insurance, commodity programs, and disaster assistance from 2017 to 2022. Totaling over $142 billion, these funds primarily benefit the Midwest and Great Plains regions and are tied more to acreage than farm count or production value.
Despite investments, small to mid-sized diversified farmers struggle to access relief during disasters. NSAC suggests reforms for a fair, functional, and informed farm safety net, emphasizing holistic risk management and on-farm resilience investments. Author Billy Hackett highlights the need for a precise safety net alongside measures to bolster farmers against disasters. The report’s recommendations aim to guide lawmakers toward bipartisan policy reforms as Congress approaches the 2024 farm bill reauthorization.
Listen to the report below.
Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West