Pandemic relief and government shutdown talks are in limbo with Congress in recess.
According to Agri-Pulse, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel plans to introduce another aid bill with $20 billion dollars for agriculture. However, he is skeptical of Democratic support.
House Republicans previously offered a $1 trillion dollar aid package, but Democrats want nothing less than $2 trillion dollars on pandemic relief.
After weeks of a stalemate, experts say that a fifth relief bill could include legislation to keep the government running before the federal budges dries up on October 1st.
The USDA pays out nearly half its allotment for coronavirus aid.
So far, the agency approved more than $9 billion dollars. Nearly half of that went to the livestock sector. $2.5 billion went to non-specialty crops, and more than $1 billion dollars has gone to dairy. Iowa tops the list of state payouts, followed by Nebraska, Minnesota, and Texas.
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