There are fewer than 10 days left until the WHIP+ program sign-up closes and some farmers still waiting on half or all of their payments. Texas A&M University Agriculture and Food Policy Center co-director Bart Fischer says there isn’t a clear answer when farmers will get their payments or if they’ll get the remaining 50 percent for the 2019 crop losses. “The USDA needs enough money to go around. I’m getting mixed messages on whether there will be enough to pay out the second 50 percent on 2019, but I suspect that will bleed into conversations Congress will have in the lame duck session, which may also involve extending WHIP and providing additional funding.” The USDA is also still holding the details of the quality loss adjustment program close to their vest. It will be its own separate program and Fischer expects it to roll out quickly. “They want to get it right.”
