Georgia Peanut and Cotton Subsidy Programs

Georgia's agricultural economy is defined by peanuts, cotton, and broiler chickens — commodities that don't fit neatly into the Iowa corn-soybean narrative that dominates farm policy discussions. Yet Georgia farmers participate actively in federal programs, and understanding those programs requires knowing the specific economics of Southern row crops.

Peanuts: a uniquely supported crop

Georgia grows more peanuts than any other state — roughly half of US production. Peanuts are a covered commodity under ARC and PLC with their own reference price ($26.25/ton as of the 2018 Farm Bill). Because peanut prices have historically been near or below the reference price in many years, PLC payments for peanuts have been substantial in Georgia. The state's peanut belt runs through the southwest — Terrell, Crisp, Grady, and neighboring counties.

Cotton's return to commodity programs

After being excluded from direct commodity programs in the 2014 Farm Bill, cotton was reinstated under the Seed Cotton program in 2018. Georgia cotton farmers — concentrated in the southwest and south-central parts of the state — began receiving ARC and PLC payments again from FY2019 forward. This change significantly increased Georgia's commodity program payment totals after 2018.

Disaster and conservation payments

Georgia's agricultural disaster payments reflect its exposure to hurricanes and tropical weather. Hurricane Michael in 2018 caused catastrophic losses to Georgia's peanut and cotton crops, triggering large WHIP+ disaster payments. EQIP is active for conservation practices relevant to Georgia's intensive poultry production as well.

Explore Georgia's data

Visit Georgia's state page to see how peanut and cotton commodity program payments compare to disaster and conservation payments across fiscal years. The southwest Georgia counties are where most agricultural assistance concentrates.