Livestock and poultry producers who had losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing can now apply for assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Enrollment begins on July 20 and runs through September 17 of 2021. South Dakota Pork Producers Council President Shane Odegaard says the National Pork Producers Council worked with USDA to put this program forward.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 authorized payments to producers for losses of livestock and poultry depopulated from March 1 2020 to December 26, 2020 due to insufficient processing access during the pandemic. Odegaard expects pork producers in the region to apply for this aid.

Under the program payments will be based on 80 percent of the fair market value of the livestock and poultry and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals. Odegaard says that’ll be helpful.

Swine, chicken and turkeys are all eligible under the program but pork producers are expected to be the primary recipients of the assistance.