On May 19, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, announced details for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The funding for CFAP comes from a combination of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability (CARES) Act, the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter (CCC) Act and other USDA sources. CFAP provides up to $16 billion in direct payments to farmers and ranchers whose market demand has seen a negative impacted by the Coronavirus. An additional $3 billion will be used to purchase fresh produce, dairy, and meat for the Farmers to Families Food Box program.
Producers whose agriculture commodities have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline or face significant marketing cost for inventories due to COVID-19 are eligible for payments. Agricultural products that qualify for CFAP include:
- non-specialty crops: malting barley, canola, corn, upland cotton, millet, oats, soybeans, sorghum, sunflower, durum wheat, and hard red spring wheat
- wool
- livestock: cattle, lambs, yearlings, hogs
- dairy
- specialty crops: fruits, vegetables, nuts, other (for a full list go to farmers.gov/cfap).
Other crops may be considered based on information that meets eligibility requirements.
CFAP payments are calculated based on the type of product(s), current/past inventory, recent sale history, and various other factors. Enrollment for CFAP begins May 26, 2020. To enroll, contact your local FSA office to schedule an appointment. You do not need to be a current FSA customer to apply. Applicants should be prepared to provide: contact information, Tax ID number, farming operating structure, adjusted gross income and direct deposit information.
For more information, contact your local FSA office, or contact Raysha Tate at tatere@missouri.edu or 417-646-2419 at the St. Clair County MU Extension office.
