# Could rising farm payments cause trouble ahead?

> Farm Progress reports that U.S. farm payments have risen sharply over the past two years and may exceed $40 billion in 2020, well above the $19.1 billion Amber Box limit. Other WTO members are challenging these subsidies. The rise is attributed to the 2019 trade war and the COVID-19 pandemic.

- Date: 2020-11-25 · published 2020-11-25T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: policy · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/50145-could-rising-farm-payments-cause-trouble-ahead
- Commodities: [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md), [Wheat (SRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WHEAT.md)

## Why it matters

A WTO challenge could force the U.S. to cut trade-distorting support later, which would affect future farm payment levels and long-run production incentives.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2020-10-19 | [Trump's payments to farmers hit all-time high ahead of election](https://feedsoft.ai/events/50501-trump-s-payments-to-farmers-hit-all-time-high-ahead-of-election.md) | +2.7% | +2.6% |
| CORN | 2020-08-01 | [Ad Hoc Payments: A Leading Indicator of Farm Policy Change](https://feedsoft.ai/events/52100-ad-hoc-payments-a-leading-indicator-of-farm-policy-change.md) | -1.4% | +7.2% |
| CORN | 2024-05-22 | [Analysis: Farm program payments would more than double for southern crops \| Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.](https://feedsoft.ai/events/30239-analysis-farm-program-payments-would-more-than-double-for-southern-crops-agri.md) | +3.3% | +4.2% |
| CORN | 2026-10-07 | [Farm program nuts and bolts: Decisions and payments](https://feedsoft.ai/events/17103-farm-program-nuts-and-bolts-decisions-and-payments.md) | -3.0% | -6.6% |
| CORN | 2025-01-16 | [Reviewing Public Support for Payments to Farmers - farmdoc daily](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26500-reviewing-public-support-for-payments-to-farmers-farmdoc-daily.md) | +0.7% | +2.9% |
| SOY | 2020-10-19 | [Trump's payments to farmers hit all-time high ahead of election](https://feedsoft.ai/events/50501-trump-s-payments-to-farmers-hit-all-time-high-ahead-of-election.md) | +3.2% | +8.7% |
| SOY | 2020-08-01 | [Ad Hoc Payments: A Leading Indicator of Farm Policy Change](https://feedsoft.ai/events/52100-ad-hoc-payments-a-leading-indicator-of-farm-policy-change.md) | -3.0% | +5.9% |
| SOY | 2024-05-22 | [Analysis: Farm program payments would more than double for southern crops \| Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.](https://feedsoft.ai/events/30239-analysis-farm-program-payments-would-more-than-double-for-southern-crops-agri.md) | -1.8% | -6.6% |

## Sources

- farmprogress.com: https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-operations/could-rising-farm-payments-cause-trouble-ahead-

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.