Ask the ACRE Specialists

I know academics don’t all have “skin” in the game like you real farmers, but most land grant university economists who’ve put the Average Crop Revenue Election program under the microscope conclude that you get a lot of protection for the money when you enroll. Giving up 20 percent of your direct payment (typically about $2 to $5 per acre for wheat, corn and soybean producers) buys you roughly $519 per acre in corn revenue protection in 2010 based on national averages, versus $339 per acre for the traditional Counter Cyclical Program. For soybeans it’s $368 under ACRE, vs. $230 under CCP. For wheat it’s $219 vs. $148. If you’re in a high yield state, you can up the ante.