U.S. pays Arkansas farms $281M on tariff losses; 12 got $500,000 or more

Arkansas farmers have received nearly $281 million in government payments to make up for losses suffered during the ongoing trade war with China, according to federal records.

Twelve Arkansas farmers or farming entities received $500,000 or more, according to data compiled by the Environmental Working Group, a Washington nonprofit, after it filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. More than 100 Arkansas farming operations received at least $250,000 under the USDA's Market Facilitation Program.

About 300 received payments ranging from $125,000 to $249,999, according to the Environmental Working Group's data of payments through the end of April.

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Last August, when the USDA announced the startup of the $12 billion Market Facilitation Program, the agency alluded to a cap of $125,000. "MFP payments are also capped per person or legal entity at a combined $125,000 for corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans and wheat," the USDA said in its Aug. 27 news release. Similar caps were set for dairy and swine payments.

Read more: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2019/jul/03/u-s-pays-state-farms-281m-on-tariff-los/?business-arkansas