(NAFB) — Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue is working on developing aid programs for livestock, dairy, and specialty crop producers ahead of any aid to traditional commodity producers in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Hagstrom Report says House Ag Committee Chair Collin Peterson spoke with Perdue, who told the chairman that he’s trying to develop systems to provide aid specifically for livestock, dairy, and specialty crop growers. Perdue also told Peterson he’ll “hold off” on any aid to commodity growers because they received significant payments earlier this year. Peterson also says the secretary told him he’s going to wait and see if crop producers will eventually need more aid.
Perdue is currently having the chief economist and staff look across the different segments of the agricultural economy and try to determine which of the commodities have been hit hardest by the coronavirus.
“They’re also looking at which ones will likely have the most damage going forward from here,” Peterson says. “USDA may come up with an aid system like last time, but the formula will be different. Facilitation payments won’t be based on trade, rather on the damage done by COVID-19.”
Peterson is also concerned about the dairy industry, saying he supports reopening signup for the Dairy Margin Coverage Program.
Source: National Association of Farm Broadcasters