Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 11/5/19

The House Ag chairman is asking USDA to address a handful of issues with the department's trade relief program, including crops that aren't eligible for aid and the formula for determining payments to dairy producers. "The current program has created winners and losers among neighbors who find themselves facing the same market situations, meaning that some producers may remain viable while others may be forced out of business," Peterson wrote in a letter to Perdue.

One of the issues Peterson said farmers have raised is that forage growers' eligibility can hinge on their seed blend — so mixes that are heavily weighted toward grass over alfalfa might not qualify for payments, while those with a higher blend of alfalfa could receive aid, for example.

Dairy farmers have also questioned why their payments are based on their established farm program production history, rather than actual production, like other commodities under the program. And even though USDA is offering payments for a much wider range of commodities than under the 2018 trade relief program, "some crop and livestock sectors that were affected by trade disputes" still aren't eligible for aid, Peterson wrote.