Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says that sign-ups for the second tranche of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program will begin in just a few weeks.
So far, just over half of the funds went to livestock producers, while non-specialty crops and diary farmers garnished about 45 percent of the more than $9 billion dollars sent out. When asked about the speed of disbursements. Secretary Perdue stated that many specialty crop growers are not familiar with the Farm Service Agency and those who have applied could be up against their payment limits, but farm concerns are being heard.
“We’re going to do what it takes. Congress has the purse strings,” Perdue notes. “They need to be cooperative, but I think most people in Congress, certainly those who have agricultural district, know there may be addition needs out there and we have been documenting for them.”
He adds the CFAP round, opening up next month, will smooth out some of the disparity between losses before April 15th and those which have happened since then.
USDA not on track with CFAP funds.