U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins addressed farmers attending Commodity Classic in Denver earlier this week and outlined the USDA’s plan to distribute $30 billion in economic and disaster relief. She also met with leaders from the corn, soybean, wheat, and sorghum industries.
Courtesy of USDA
Rollins called the current farm economy one of the worst in a century but expressed optimism for improvement. She announced the completion of a USDA review of IRA and IIJA funds, releasing money for EQIP, CSP, and ACEP programs.
She introduced the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (E-CAP) to distribute $10 billion in aid, with applications opening by March 20. The USDA will use existing FSA acreage data to streamline the process.
For the $20 billion in disaster relief, Rollins pledged quick implementation, eliminating previous delays and tax return requirements.
Following her speech, she met with industry leaders and farmers to discuss economic relief, trade policy, and USDA’s response to avian flu. More details on aid distribution are expected soon.
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.