Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTUR, 5/15/20

The department hosted a webinar on Thursday for ag producers to learn more about applying for its $16 billion direct aid program. Given the massive interest among farmers and ranchers who are throwing out crops and euthanizing livestock, attendance on the Zoom call hit maximum capacity.

But the webinar lasted less than 15 minutes and offered little new information. USDA officials largely ticked through a list of forms that applicants will need to fill out and took just four questions submitted by farmers.

No new deets: Asked which commodities and livestock are eligible for reimbursement, officials said only that the program is open to producers of all sizes who suffer an eligible loss, meaning a price decline of at least 5 percent since January. More details will be revealed once the aid package is approved by White House budget officials and published in the Federal Register.

Ag Twitter not impressed: The brief session left farmers scratching their heads and grousing about the lack of new information. As one industry member put it, USDA is guarding details of the program “like it’s the nuclear football.”

What’s missing? It’s still unknown exactly which farmers are eligible for aid. The department has earmarked portions of the aid for specific hard-hit sectors, like cattle and hog farmers, while others will have to demonstrate market damage to qualify.

Also, USDA has already made some changes to the program since it was announced in mid-April — but hasn’t yet spelled out the new rules. For one, Secretary Sonny Perdue said the department is loosening limits on the size of relief checks following pushback from Congress.