Mississippi producers to receive about $423 million from federal farm safety-net updates

Mississippi agricultural producers will receive about $423 million in additional or expanded federal farm-assistance payments under changes to federal farm safety-net programs, U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) announced, SuperTalk Mississippi reported.

SuperTalk Mississippi reported that the payments for Mississippi are part of $13.8 billion approved by Congress to update the farm safety net, including significant increases in reference prices and crop-insurance enhancements. The changes were enacted in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which became law in July 2025.

“American farmers and ranchers pour their hearts and souls into producing the food and fiber that we all need,” Hyde-Smith said. “The farm safety net is supposed to help them survive global competition, economic uncertainty, and market volatility, and that’s what we’ve successfully strengthened. As such, producers across Mississippi and this great nation will finally get the first meaningful investment in farm safety net programs that they deserve.”

SuperTalk Mississippi reported the U.S. Department of Agriculture is also implementing additional programs to expand access to and eligibility for standing disaster programs, including the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program and the Livestock Forage Program, and is taking steps to make crop insurance more affordable.

The report said Hyde-Smith has continued to urge passage of a new farm bill after the 2018 farm bill expired in September 2026. In September 2026, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry passed the Agricultural Act of 2026 on a 12-11 party-line vote; SuperTalk Mississippi reported the measure is not expected to go to the full Senate floor until after the November midterm elections.

Source: SuperTalk Mississippi