10 States Got Most of ’86 USDA Money

About 63% of the $11.8 billion in federal payments to farmers in 1986 went to 10 states, mostly large grain producers, according to an Agriculture Department study.

The total for the top 10 states was about $7.46 billion in the 1986 calendar year, the department’s Economic Research Service said.

Iowa led with $1.16 billion paid to farmers, followed by Texas with $978.4 million; Illinois, $882.5 million; Kansas, $870.8 million; Nebraska, $867.8 million; Minnesota, $802.4 million; North Dakota, $700.2 million; Indiana, $411.3 million; Oklahoma, $393 million, and California, $387.9 million.

The listings were included in an annual financial report issued Wednesday by the agency. The highlight of the report was state-by-state figures showing 1986 net cash income, which totaled $52 billion nationally.

Net cash income--the difference between gross cash income and cash expenses--rose further in 1987 to a record of $57 billion but is expected to decline this year to a range of $50 billion to $55 billion.

Direct government payments, whether cash or in surplus commodities, are counted as part of farmers’ gross income.

Although the $11.8 billion in federal payments in 1986 was a record at the time, those subsidies rose to another peak in 1987 of about $17 billion, according to USDA economists.

FARM PAYMENTS

Farm payments to states, ranked by total payments

Payments in State millions of dollars Iowa $1,160.0 Texas 978.4 Illinois 882.5 Kansas 870.8 Nebraska 867.8 Minnesota 802.4 North Dakota 700.2 Indiana 411.3 Oklahoma 393.0 California 387.9 South Dakota 382.9 Montana 366.1 Arkansas 313.7 Washington 298.7 Missouri 275.9 Ohio 269.0 Wisconsin 266.4 Colorado 234.6 Idaho 223.2 Michigan 220.9 Mississippi 192.5 Louisiana 158.8 Oregon 127.6 Georgia 116.1 Tennessee 98.4 North Carolina 90.3 Kentucky 89.1 Arizona 83.6 Alabama 79.8 New York 76.7 New Mexico 62.4 South Carolina 54.4 Pennsylvania 44.6 Virginia 42.6 Utah 36.0 Maryland 32.2 Wyoming 29.3 Florida 26.1 Vermont 12.3 West Virginia 8.4 Delaware 7.0 Maine 6.8 Hawaii 6.8 New Jersey 6.5 Massachusetts 5.7 Connecticut 3.9 Nevada 3.4 New Hampshire 2.9 Alaska 0.8 Rhode Island 0.5