The U.S. Department of Agri­culture (USDA) last week began making $7 billion in risk management program payments due to market downturns during the 2015 crop year. The payments will go to many of the 1.7 million farms enrolled in either Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, the USDA said.

In Iowa, farmers in 86 counties are expected to...