Sign-up continues for trade mitigation payments via the Market Facilitation Program. Kansas State University Extension Agricultural Economist Monte Vandeever says there’s still some questions how county rates are calculated in this latest MFP. “When I saw the variation between counties, I wondered how we came up with the formula. There were wide differences in Kansas,” explains Vandeever. “Our lowest county received about $22 an acre and the highest county received about $73 an acre. The question in my mind is how do we account for such variation? The counties do vary as we go west.” Vandeever continues. “I know it has to do with what crop acres are planted, the differences in yields and which crops were impacted by exports, but we need to know the recipe for the number. I can see USDA’s reluctance in doing that if they think there’s potential for a payment next year, because they don’t want the program to cause a distortion in the market.”
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