USDA undersecretary for farm production and conservation Bill Northey told Agri-Pulse that farmers will get the remaining 20 percent of what they are due under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program by the end of August.
“We’d like to be able to do it earlier than that,” Northey said. “If we can look and see that we’re going to have plenty of dollars yet, of course we haven’t even announced the third group of commodities yet and we’re still partway through signup.”
Last week, the USDA made dozens more specialty crops CFAP eligible. Those applications are due by Aug. 28.
Northey says the agency is waiting for direction from Congress on the next aid package. The next round of CFAP payments is expected to cover losses that have come since mid-April.
“Congress has said very clearly that they recognize the losses are well beyond that $16 billion (being provided through CFAP), Northey said.