Source: USDA, 10/26/20 U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that in the first
month of the application period, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) approved
more than $7 billion in payments to producers in the second round of the
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. CFAP 2 provides agricultural producers
with financial assistance to help absorb some of the increased marketing costs
associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.“America’s agriculture communities are resilient, but still face many challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These payments directed by President Trump will continue to help this critical industry recoup some of their losses from ongoing market disruptions and associated costs,” said Secretary Perdue. “This program builds upon the over $10 billion disbursed under the first round of CFAP. Agricultural producers who have been impacted by the pandemic since April 2020 are encouraged to apply for assistance.” Since CFAP 2 enrollment began
on September 21, FSA has approved more than 443,000 applications. The top five
states for payments are Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Illinois and Kansas. USDA
has released a data dashboard on
application progress and program payments and will release further updates each
Monday at 2:00 p.m. ET. The report can be viewed at farmers.gov/cfap. Through CFAP 2, USDA is
making available up to $14 billion for agricultural producers who continue to
face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. CFAP 2 is a
separate program from the first iteration of CFAP (CFAP 1). Farmers and
ranchers who participated in CFAP 1 will not be automatically enrolled and must
complete a new application for CFAP 2. FSA will accept CFAP 2 applications
through December 11, 2020. Eligible Commodities CFAP 2 supports eligible producers of row crops, livestock, specialty crops, dairy, aquaculture, and many other commodities, including many that were ineligible for CFAP 1. FSA’s CFAP 2 Eligible Commodities Finder makes
finding eligible commodities and payment rates simple. Access this tool and
other resources at farmers.gov/cfap. Getting Help from FSA New customers seeking
one-on-one support with the CFAP 2 application process can call 877-508-8364 to
speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer general assistance. This is
a recommended first step before a producer engages the team at the FSA county
office at their local USDA Service Center. FSA offers multiple options
for producers to apply for CFAP 2. Producers with an eAuthentication account
can apply online through the CFAP 2 Application Portal. Also available is a
payment calculator and application generator that is an Excel workbook that
allows producers to input information specific to their operation to determine
estimated payments and populate the application form, which can be printed,
signed, and submitted to the local FSA office. Producers can also download the
CFAP 2 application and other eligibility forms from farmers.gov/cfap. Producers of acreage-based
commodities will use acreage and yield information provided by FSA through the
annual acreage reporting process. Producers have the option to complete their
application by working directly with their local FSA staff or online through
the CFAP 2 Application Portal. CFAP 2 is not a loan program,
and there is no cost to apply. More Information To find the latest
information on CFAP 2, visit farmers.gov/CFAP or call 877-508-8364. All USDA Service Centers are
open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business
in person by appointment only. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct
business with FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other Service
Center agency should call ahead and schedule an appointment. Service Centers
that are open for appointments will pre-screen visitors based on health
concerns or recent travel, and visitors must adhere to social distancing
guidelines. Visitors are also required to wear a face covering during their
appointment. Our program delivery staff will be in the office, and they will be
working with our producers in the office, by phone, and using online tools.
More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.
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