USDA announced additional assistance and expanded eligibility for producers and commodities in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Minnesota Pork CEO Dave Preisler says pork producers will receive a ‘top-up” payment going back to CFAP 1. It’s based on inventory from April 16 to May 14 with rates increasing from 25 to 50-percent of the estimated total economic loss.

Preisler reminds producers the payment limitation cap is still in effect.

There will also be benefits for contact pork and poultry growers who had a drop in revenue in 2020 verses 2019 due to the pandemic. They could receive up to 80-percent of loss, subject to availability of funds.

Crop producers that had crop insurance but didn’t have a 2020 Actual Production History approved yield will also receive a payment. FSA is using 100-percent of the 2019 ARC county option benchmark yield for CFAP 2 applications, rather than the original 85-percent.
The program runs through February 26.
The indemnity for producers who had to euthanize animals will be dealt with by the next administration.