In 2020, U.S. family farm households received $4.3 billion in federal assistance during the Coronavirus pandemic from Economic Impact Payments.
Researchers at USDA’s Economic Research Service say the estimated average was $924, $2,408, and $2,466 for single, head of household, and joint filers, respectively.
The disparity partly reflects the lower income thresholds for single households, which resulted in some not receiving the maximum payment and others not receiving payments at all.
Additionally, since unmarried people with dependents were assumed to file as head of household, these households were estimated to have received an additional $500 per dependent.
Among family farm households, ERS researchers estimated that 18% of single filers did not receive a payment, compared with 17% of head of household filers, and 13% of joint filers in 2020.
In April and May 2020, U.S. households of all types, farm or otherwise, received more than $266 billion from the program.
