Farmers get second round of COVID-19 Aid

WASHINGTON--US Farmers to get an additional $14-billion in COVID-19 aid.

US Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue and Trump Administration announced a second round of aid through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). More than $14 billion will be used to help farmers devastated by the economic disaster caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

And there's good news in the relief package for Idaho ranchers and dairymen. At least $10 billion from the first CFAP will provide much-needed support to livestock, dairy, non-specialty, and specialty crop producers throughout the country.

Many farmers were initially left out of CFAP, and although the program was expanded to include more commodities, aid was only made available for losses suffered before April 15, 2020. The deadline for most producers to apply for the first round of CFAP assistance expired on September 11.

“Farmers and ranchers saw demand for their markets disappear during the initial shockwave of the pandemic. Even though concerns over food supplies have now subsided, the economic hardships are still taking their toll on farm families across the country,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “We don’t know when this pandemic will end and we are still feeling the effects of trade imbalances and severe weather. This lifeline will keep farmers and ranchers afloat as they continue to keep America’s pantries stocked.”

Signup for CFAP will run from September 21 through December 11, 2020. For more information, go to farmers.gov/CFAP.