Applications are now being accepted for the second round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.
The program closes on December 11th and includes several commodities not covered under the first version. USDA broke down the types of eligible commodities into three categories; the three categories are price trigger commodities, flat rate crops, and sales commodities.
Price trigger commodities must meet a 5 percent price drop over a period of time. These products include:
- Broilers and Eggs
- Row Crops (like corn, soybeans, cotton, and all classes of wheat)
Even corn plowed down by the Midwest derecho will be eligible for the program.
Dairy and livestock, including sheep, are also eligible, but animals raised for breeding stock are excluded.
Flat rate crops make up the second category. They fail to meet the 5 percent price decline trigger or do not have enough data to calculate a change.
These acres will see a flat rate of $15 dollars per acre, paid out under the program. Eligible commodities include:
- Alfalfa
- Canola
- Industrial Hemp
- Sugar Cane
- Oats
- Rice
- Peanuts and more
The category of sales commodities was made for specialty crops which experienced losses but did not “fit the mold” of the other two categories. This covers:
- Aquaculture (including some shellfish and seaweed)
- Floriculture and Nursery Crops (including Christmas trees)
- Goat’s Milk
- Fruits
- Honey
- Nuts
- Vegetables
- Tobacco
- Wool
Turkey growers will be glad to know they are covered under this heading with other specialty livestock as well.
Hay, other than alfalfa, grazing and cover crops, horses and all breeding animals are not covered under this round.
Payment limits are also capped at $250 thousand dollars, but in certain instances this can be raised to $500 or $750 thousand dollars for qualifying entities.
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says that this program is a direct response to producer feedback: “This is an example of government working for the people. We asked for your input and we listened and we updated the program based on the comments that we received.”
Comments are still welcome in this round, just like the first. USDA wants to know if something else needs to be included.
For the full list and for more information on signing up, click HERE.