Mountain West Farmers Have Received More Than $3 Billion for Crop Losses Since 2001

Sep 13, 2023

By Kaleb Roedel

From 2001 to 2022, less than a quarter of the nation’s farms received payments for crop losses, according to the Environmental Working Group, a nonpartisan advocacy organization.

The group found that a majority of that money went to large farms growing commodity crops – like corn, soybeans and wheat – in a handful of states. In fact, almost two-thirds of all payments went to producers in just 10 states.

Texas farmers received the largest share – 14% – for a total of more than $23 billion. Farmers in Midwestern states and California made up the rest of the top 10 list.

In the Mountain West, meanwhile, farmers received more than $3 billion during that two-decade span.

Anne Schechinger, an agricultural economist and author of the report, said many payments were for drought, flooding and heat, among other weather-related events.

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Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

Did you know we also operate a small business on the homestead. We make homemade, handcrafted soaps, shampoo bars, hair and beard products in addition to offering our pasture raised pork, lamb, and 100% raw honey. You can find out more about our products and ingredients by visiting our website at www.mimiandpoppysplace.com. There you can shop our products and sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a soap or ingredient, gives monthly updates about the homestead, and also lists the markets, festivals, and events we’ll be attending that month.