Covid-19 has impacted many agricultural and forestry operations across the country, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering financial assistance for farmers and ranchers and even timber harvesters and haulers. But USDA reminds those interested the signup deadlines are coming up next week. The signup deadline for three pandemic assistance programs are:
· Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 – October 12
· Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program – October 12
· Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers Program – October 15
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2
If you are a farmer or rancher whose agricultural operation was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, then USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) provides financial assistance for producers of commodities marketed in 2020 who faced market disruptions due to COVID-19. Producers of more than 300 commodities may be eligible for CFAP 2, including several that were not initially included such as livestock and poultry raised under contract and grass seed.
Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program
If you are a swine, chicken, or turkey producer who suffered losses due to insufficient access to processing facilities during the coronavirus pandemic, then USDA’s Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) provides financial assistance to support producers of eligible livestock and poultry depopulated from March 1, 2020, through December 26, 2020. PLIP payments compensate eligible producers for 80 percent of the loss of the eligible livestock or poultry, and for the cost of depopulation and disposal, based on a single payment rate per head.
Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers Program
If you are a timber logger or trucker whose operation has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers program (PATHH) provides financial relief to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that experienced a loss of at least 10 percent gross revenue from January 1 through December 1, 2020, compared to the same period in 2019.
For more information contact your local USDA Service Center.