The USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) deadline is Sept. 11. The program provides relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers several options for farmers and ranchers to apply for CFAP, including a call center where employees can answer your questions and help you get started on your application,” said Richard Fordyce, FSA administrator. “… now is the time to check out the resources on our website and contact the call center or your local office for your last-minute questions.”
Over 160 commodities are eligible under CFAP, including beef cattle and sheep. All eligible commodities are available at farmers.gov/cfap. As of Aug. 31, USDA has approved over 575,000 applications and paid out more than $9.4 billion to producers. Cattle producers have received more than $4 billion worth of payments. Of the Western states, Nebraska has received the most aid, followed by Texas and then California.
USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue recently said producers may receive a second round of CFAP aid, sometime after Labor Day. There has been some criticism over the eligibility requirements to receive aid, with some groups saying the time period of Jan. 15 to April 15 doesn’t fully include producer losses.
