Source: USDA, 11/12/20 Application Deadline is December 11 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds farmers and ranchers that the deadline to apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) is Dec. 11, 2020. This program provides direct relief to producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. “Producers have one more month to get their applications in for this important relief program,” said Richard Fordyce, Farm Service Agency administrator. “Applying is simple and our staff is available to assist every step of the way.” CFAP 2 will provide up to $14
billion to eligible producers of certain row crops, livestock, dairy, specialty
crops, aquaculture and more. All eligible commodities, payment rates and
calculations can be found on farmers.gov/cfap.
CFAP 2 is a separate program from the first iteration of the program (CFAP 1)
and interested producers must complete a new application to be eligible for
payment for CFAP 2. 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. Application Options Producers have several
options for applying to the CFAP 2 program by the Dec. 11 deadline: =
Using an online portal at farmers.gov/cfap.
This allows producers with secure USDA login credentials, known as
eAuthentication, to certify eligible commodities online, digitally sign
applications and submit directly to the local USDA Service Center. =
Completing the application form using our CFAP 2 Application
Generator and Payment Calculator found at farmers.gov/cfap.
This Excel workbook allows customers to input information specific to their
operation to determine estimated payments and populate the application form,
which can be printed, then signed and submitted to their local USDA Service
Center. =
Downloading the AD-3117 application form from farmers.gov/cfap and
manually completing the form to submit to the local USDA Service Center by
mail, electronically, or by hand delivery to an office drop box. In some
limited cases, the office may be open for in-person business by appointment.
Visit farmers.gov/coronavirus/service-center-status to
check the status of your local office. USDA Service Centers can also
work with producers to complete and securely transmit digitally-signed
applications through two commercially available tools: Box and OneSpan.
Producers who are interested in digitally signing their applications should
notify their local FSA office when calling to discuss the CFAP 2 application
process. You can learn more about these solutions at farmers.gov/mydocs. Producers of commodities with
payments based on acreage 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 office or
online through the CFAP 2 Application Portal. All other eligibility forms,
such as those related to adjusted gross income and payment information, can be
downloaded from farmers.gov/cfap/apply.
For existing FSA customers, including those who participated in CFAP 1, these
documents are likely already on file. Both CFAP 1 and CFAP 2 are
self-certification programs, which means the applicant certifies the
information submitted is correct. FSA will soon begin an important step in the
internal controls portion of CFAP 1 by conducting spot checks. Producers have
been randomly selected using a statistically sound methodology. These CFAP 1
applicants will be contacted by FSA staff and asked to provide supporting
documentation to verify the information certified by the producer on their CFAP
1 application. As of Nov. 9, FSA has paid
more than $9.5 billion with more than 576,000 applications for CFAP 2. This
builds upon more than $10.3 billion paid through CFAP 1. 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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