Decades Old Base Acres Shape Farm Payments Today

By Andi Anderson

U.S. Department of Agriculture commodity programs continue to rely on base acres that are tied to historical crop production rather than what farmers plant today.

This system means some farmers receive government payments for crops they no longer grow, while others plant crops with strong market demand but receive limited support.

Base acres are used to calculate payments under programs such as Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage. These acres are recorded in USDA databases and remain fixed regardless of yearly planting decisions.

The goal of this system was to avoid influencing farmers’ planting choices and to comply with international trade rules. While this approach once served a clear purpose, it now creates uneven payment outcomes.

The last mandatory update of base acres occurred in 1985. Since then, most farms have continued operating under the same historical records. The 2002 and 2014 Farm Bills allowed voluntary and limited reallocation of base acres, but these options were not required and did not fully reflect changes in modern farming practices. As a result, many base acre records still represent planting patterns from decades ago.

This issue has gained attention because farming has changed significantly over time. Crop rotations, market demand, technology, and regional production patterns have all evolved.

For example, many Illinois farmers grow corn on acres that already match their corn base, which generally keeps payments aligned with production. However, in other regions, farms may still receive payments based on crops such as cotton, even though those crops are no longer grown on those acres.

These differences raise concerns about fairness and accuracy in farm safety net programs. Farmers producing the same crops today may receive very different levels of support simply because of historical records.

To address this issue, lawmakers have introduced proposals such as the Balanced Agricultural Support and Efficiency Act. This proposal would require a mandatory base acre update for the first time in more than forty years.

Supporters believe this change would improve the integrity of USDA programs and ensure payments better reflect current production.

Agricultural groups continue to engage with policymakers to advocate for updates that protect the future of farm safety nets. Their goal is to create a system that is fair, accurate, and responsive to today’s farming realities while continuing to support farmers across the country.

Photo Credit: getty-images-elhenyo