SECOND ROUND OF CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR FARMS NOW AVAILABLE

USDA to Provide Additional Financial Assistance for Agricultural Businesses

By Alycia Drwencke, Dairy Management Specialist with the SWNY Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Program

SOUTHWEST, NEW YORK (September 22, 2020) - The Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock, and Field Crops Program would like to highlight the USDA's Farm Service Agency's (FSA) recent opening of the second round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) for agricultural businesses. If you are an agricultural producer whose operation has been affected by COVID-19, you are likely eligible for this second round of support. FSA is currently accepting applications from agricultural businesses for this support. For more information, or to apply, visit www.farmers.gov/cfap or contact your local FSA office which can be found on FSA.USDA.Gov.

Applications will be accepted from September 21, 2020 through December 11, 2020. Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2, or CFAP 2, will provide producers with financial assistance that gives them the ability to absorb some of the increased costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. CFAP 2 payments will be made for three categories of commodities - Price Trigger Commodities, Flat-Rate Crops, and Sales Commodities. A detailed list of eligible commodities can be found here (www.farmers.gov/cfap).

Farm Service Agency staff at local USDA Service Centers will work with producers to file CFAP 2 applications. For existing FSA customers, including those who participated in CFAP 1, many application documents will already be on file. Producers should check with their FSA county office to see if any of the forms need to be updated. Agricultural businesses interested in one-on-one support with the CFAP 2 application can also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance at their call center.

Many farms in our region continue to deal with economic hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shifts in product demand, processing delays, and decreasing commodity prices have significantly affected farm profitability. For more information, contact your local FSA office. In the Southwest NY region, the county offices can be reached at: Allegany (585) 268-5133; Cattaraugus (716) 699-2375; Chautauqua (716) 664-2351; Erie (716) 652-1400; Steuben (607) 776-7398.