From Mykel Wedig, associate director of government affairs
There were some important announcements this week about help for business owners who have been hurt financially by the pandemic.
Edge wants to make sure you have the latest details.
Paycheck Protection Program deadline extended The Senate passed a bill extending the PPP application deadline from March 31 to May 31. President Biden is expected to sign the bill. Click here for an application and other information.
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program to resume The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making changes to CFAP after a review by the new administration. Key provisions for our members are outlined below. You can see full details here.
An increase in CFAP 1 payment rates for cattle. Cattle producers with approved applications will automatically receive these payments beginning in April. Information on the additional payment rates for cattle can be found on farmers.gov/cfap. Eligible producers do not need to submit new applications, since payments are based on previously approved CFAP 1 applications. USDA estimates additional payments of $1.1 billion to 410,000 producers.
Additional CFAP assistance of $20 per acre for producers of eligible crops identified as CFAP 2 flat-rate or price-trigger crops beginning in April. This includes alfalfa, corn, cotton, hemp, peanuts, rice, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets and wheat, among other crops. FSA will automatically issue payments to eligible price-trigger and flat-rate crop producers based on the eligible acres included on their CFAP 2 applications. Eligible producers do not need to submit a new CFAP 2 application. For a list of all eligible row crops, visit farmers.gov/cfap. USDA estimates additional payments of $4.5 billion to 560,000 producers.
USDA will finalize routine decisions and minor formula adjustments on applications and begin processing payments for certain applications filed as part of the CFAP Additional Assistance program in the following categories:
Applications filed for pullets and turfgrass sod
A formula correction for row crop producer applications to allow producers with a non-actual production history (APH) insurance policy to use 100 percent of the 2019 Agriculture Risk Coverage-County Option (ARC-CO) benchmark yield in the calculation
Sales commodity applications revised to include insurance indemnities, Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program payments, and Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus payments, as required by statute
Additional payments for swine producers and contract growers under CFAP Additional Assistance remain on hold and are likely to require modifications to the regulation as part of the broader evaluation and future assistance; however, Farm Service Agency will continue to accept applications from interested producers.
Print Page
Email to a Friend