USDA is changing eligibility rules for some farm programs. The new rule says anyone applying for federal subsidies as a farm manager will have to follow guidelines that previously applied to general partners, and the farm managers must put in 500 hours of management annually or provide 25% of the farm’s total management.
The rule change also follows the Farm Bill language to include first cousins, nieces, and nephews as qualified family members, but those family members will also have to meet the farm management qualifications to be eligible for the subsidies.
