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Direct payments to farmers ‘have helped stabilize things’

Direct payments to farmers from the federal government will make up a sizeable portion of farm income this year.

Iowa farmer Kevin Ross, immediate past president of the National Corn Grower Association, says it’s not something that most farmers wanted. But he says the assistance was definitely needed.

“I think, in general, growers don’t like getting their profits out of government that way, if at all possible. But I will say there was definitely a significant need for some financial stability in the ag sector here in the last couple of years,” Ross says.

“There’s been a lot turmoil because of different issues and things that the government felt the need to address through these direct payments,” he says. “Again, it’s something that I don’t think farmers necessarily want, but it’s something we definitely could use. Everybody always has place to put those payments.

“It’s been a struggle. There are a lot of issues out there in ag right now. They have definitely helped stabilize things.”

Ross says he’s hopeful commodity prices will keep moving to levels where farmers can “get their profitability out of the field”.