Farm Poverty and Safety Nets |
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Authors: | Craig Gundersen Susan Offutt |
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Institution: | Craig Gundersen is associate professor, Department of Human Development and Family Studies and affiliate, Institute for Social and Behavioral Research, Iowa State University. Susan Offutt is administrator, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. |
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Abstract: | Farm families with incomes below the poverty line are far less likely than wealthier farmers to receive farm support payments. Using data from the 1989–2004 Current Population Survey, we find that poor farm families are also not participating in other assistance programs. Controlling for other factors, eligible farm families have substantially lower participation rates in the Food Stamp Program and in Medicaid than eligible nonfarm families. Removing farm safety net program payments would increase the number of farmers eligible for these programs but, in the absence of behavioral changes, would only lead to small increases in the number of recipients. |
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Keywords: | farm safety net programs food stamps Medicaid poverty |
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