# Economist breaks down net farm income declines & direct payments - Brownfield Ag News

> An analysis from Brownfield reports that US net farm income fell 33% from its peak to 2018-2019 levels, with the steepest declines in Midwest and Great Plains states. Direct payments were about 22% of net farm income in 2018 and 2019.

- Date: 2020-10-22 · published 2020-10-22T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: policy · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/50633-economist-breaks-down-net-farm-income-declines-and-direct-payments-brownfield
- 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

Weaker farm incomes and heavy reliance on government payments can affect input purchasing and planting decisions, a modest factor for feed grain demand.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2017-05-25 | [Ag economists weigh in on farm bill, Trump budget - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/71004-ag-economists-weigh-in-on-farm-bill-trump-budget-brownfield-ag-news.md) | -0.2% | -1.2% |
| CORN | 2020-11-18 | [No more ad hoc payments a big "what if?" for farmers in 2021 - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/50146-no-more-ad-hoc-payments-a-big-what-if-for-farmers-in-2021-brownfield-ag-news.md) | +0.4% | +0.1% |
| CORN | 2025-01-09 | [Will $10B in economic payments offset farm income losses? \| Agriculture Dive](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26503-will-10b-in-economic-payments-offset-farm-income-losses-agriculture-dive.md) | +4.1% | +5.7% |
| CORN | 2021-09-01 | [Have ad hoc payments helped or hurt proteins? - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/45081-have-ad-hoc-payments-helped-or-hurt-proteins-brownfield-ag-news.md) | -5.3% | -8.2% |
| CORN | 2023-08-30 | [Farmers eager to see what's in next farm bill - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/34565-farmers-eager-to-see-what-s-in-next-farm-bill-brownfield-ag-news.md) | -0.0% | -8.2% |
| SOY | 2017-05-25 | [Ag economists weigh in on farm bill, Trump budget - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/71004-ag-economists-weigh-in-on-farm-bill-trump-budget-brownfield-ag-news.md) | -3.8% | -4.7% |
| SOY | 2020-11-18 | [No more ad hoc payments a big "what if?" for farmers in 2021 - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/50146-no-more-ad-hoc-payments-a-big-what-if-for-farmers-in-2021-brownfield-ag-news.md) | +1.8% | +1.2% |
| SOY | 2025-01-09 | [Will $10B in economic payments offset farm income losses? \| Agriculture Dive](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26503-will-10b-in-economic-payments-offset-farm-income-losses-agriculture-dive.md) | +5.6% | +7.4% |

## Sources

- brownfieldagnews.com: https://www.brownfieldagnews.com/news/economist-breaks-down-net-farm-income-declines-direct-payments/

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