FSA quickly implemented crucial programs amid challenging year
Purkey
SIDNEY USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) helped farmers, livestock producers and foresters weather a tough 2020, marked with a pandemic and natural disasters. During the COVID-19 pandemic, FSA continued to deliver farm programs to producers through phone and online tools, using social distancing guidelines. The agency also provided extra flexibilities to its programs, adjusting reporting dates and loan processing timelines, and continued to expand technology and streamline services to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
“Shelby County has over of 200,000 cropland acres with the top three commodities being soybeans, corn and wheat. We serve over 3,000 farm operators and owners,” said Annette Purkey, the Shelby County executive director (CED) for the Farm Service Agency (FSA). She also serves as the Acting CED for the Miami County FSA office.
Budget reconciliation package proposed by Democrats will increase food assistance and offer financial relief to farmers of color.
As part of its reconciliation bill for additional coronavirus aid, the House and Senate each released details of the $16 billion for the agricultural portion of the bill. In an 8 hour-long business meeting Wednesday, the House Agriculture Committee began markup of the bill that revealed the lack of bipartisan support for the bill to provide direct payments to farmers of color, enhanced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and rural health funding. The committee advanced the final package on a party line vote late Wednesday evening.
USDA offers additional CFAP assistance
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Additional assistance through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) is being provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The USDA is expanding eligibility for some agricultural producers and commodities and is updating payments to accurately pay some producers who have already applied for the program.
Producers that are now eligible and those who need to modify existing applications can do so by contacting the USDA’s Farm Service Agency through Feb. 26.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has left a deep impact on the farm economy, and we are utilizing the tools and monies available to ease some of the financial burdens on American producers to ensure our agricultural economy remains strong, independent and a global leader in production,” said U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in a news release. “As part of implementing CFAP 1 and CFAP 2, we identified new areas of support and Congress recent
USDA offers additional assistance
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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide additional assistance through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), expanding eligibility for some agricultural producers and commodities as well as updating payments to accurately compensate some producers who already applied for the program.
Producers who are now eligible and those who need to modify existing applications due to these updates can contact USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) between Jan. 19 and Feb. 26. Some of these changes are being made to align with the recently enacted Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 while others are discretionary changes being made in response to ongoing evaluation of CFAP.