Senator Marshall Commends USDA for Resuming CFAP

(Washington, D.C., March 24, 2021) – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. issued the following statement after U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack today announced the reopening of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, created to help producers impacted by COVID-19.

“The agriculture industry was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and many producers are still recovering from the impacts to our food processors, supply chains, and commodity markets,” said Senator Marshall. “Through all of this, our hard-working farmers and ranchers never missed a day of work, and it is important that we continue to provide them with the assistance and support they need to continue operating. I am happy to see USDA deliver on Congress’s promise to farmers and ranchers and deliver the final round of CFAP assistance.”

Pandemic Assistance for Producers provisions include:

• CFAP to resume for crops and livestock
  • For livestock: payments will be automatically issued based on past applications
  • For crops: $20/acre on eligible crops, which includes: Alfalfa, corn, cotton, hemp, sorghum, soybeans and wheat, payments will be automatically issued based on past applications
• $100 million in additional funding for the Local Agricultural Marketing Program, administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service and Rural Development, which supports the development, coordination, and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets and enterprises, and value-added agricultural products.
• $28 million for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to provide grants to state departments of agriculture to expand or sustain existing farm stress assistance programs
• $6 billion to expand help and assistance to more producers including: Improving the resilience of the food supply chain, including assistance to meat and poultry operations to facilitate interstate shipment;
• Developing infrastructure to support donation and distribution of perishable commodities, including food donation and distribution through farm-to-school, restaurants or other community organizations
• Dairy farmers through the Dairy Donation Program or other means
• Euthanized livestock and poultry
• Biofuels
• Specialty crops, beginning farmers, local, urban and organic farms

Background:

The CFAP was created in March 2020 as part of the CARES Act to provide financial assistance to farmers and ranchers impacted by the pandemic. In December 2020, Congress appropriated $11.2 billion to allow for a third payment to farmers and ranchers through CFAP. Upon review of CFAP by the Biden Administration, farmers and ranchers will now be eligible to receive a third round of CFAP funding as part of the Pandemic Assistance for Producers program. Farmers and livestock owners previously enrolled in the program will automatically receive the third round of payments. 

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