Mississippi agricultural producers could soon get financial relief through legislation passed last year.
U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) announced Friday that local producers will receive around $423 million in additional or expanded federal farm assistance due to changes made by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. Specifically, changes were made to the federal farm safety net — programs that help farmers financially when crop prices fall, revenues drop, or disasters cause losses.
The improved Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage payments for Mississippi are part of $13.8 billion approved by Congress to update the farm safety net by significantly increasing reference prices and crop insurance enhancements. These improvements are expected to more accurately recognize the increased costs and changing economic conditions for farming since passage of the 2018 Farm Bill.
“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.”
Hyde-Smith contended that the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which became law in July 2025, aimed to improve risk management tools for producers of row crops, livestock, specialty crops, honeybees, and aquaculture.
As a result, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is also implementing additional programs that support the farm safety net to expand access to and eligibility for standing disaster programs, including the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program and Livestock Forage Program, in addition to making crop insurance more affordable.
While this relief is expected to be welcomed by Mississippi farmers, Hyde-Smith continues to call on her legislative peers to pass a new farm bill, as the 2018 version expired last month. In September, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry passed the Agricultural Act of 2026, branded the “Farm Bill 2.0.”
The legislation, which passed on a 12-11 vote along party lines, aims to modernize federal safety nets, update farm loan limits to match inflation, and invest heavily in rural infrastructure and conservation. The bill is not expected to go to the full Senate floor until after the November midterms. Currently, Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the chamber — an advantage politicos expect to dwindle after the upcoming elections.