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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Area farmers pack the town hall in Edgeley.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency issued Agricultural Risk Coverage – County (ARC-CO) payments this fall.

County yields are based upon statistical data provided by farmers through surveys from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), but if not enough NASS surveys are returned then information from the Risk Management Agency (RMA)—if available—is used. But, that resulted in some North Dakota counties like Logan and Lamoure obtaining no payments at all.

Progressive Ag Law is now hosting meetings across the state determining how many producers are interested in taking legal action against USDA.

Tom Lilja with Progressive Ag Law.

Many producers and lenders were anticipating the ARC-COUNTY payments, as commodity prices on the board have dipped below breakeven points.

Tim Erbele farms in the Edgeley area. Like many producers in the area, he did not receive an ARC Payment for corn. One of his fields is only 1 mile from the Stustman County line where producers did receive payments on their corn crop.

The estimated cost of payments lost to producers nationwide is 450-500 million dollars.
Additional meetings are being held in Hebron and Minot today and Devils Lake and Northwood on Thursday and Casselton on Friday morning.