The U.S. Department of Agri­culture (USDA) last week began issuing nearly $8 billion in safety net payments to farmers under the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced.

“Many of these payments will be made to landowners and producers in rural communities that have recently been ravaged by drought, wildfires and deadly hurricanes,” Perdue said. “I am hopeful this fin­ancial assistance will help those experiencing losses with immediate cash flow needs as we head toward the end of the year.”         

In Iowa, farmers ...