On September 18th, President Donald Trump and United States Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the second round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. This is commonly known as CFAP 2.0. Farmers can benefit from this second round of aid to assist in losses incurred during the pandemic. The CFAP 2.0 program allows for a payment of $55/head of eligible cattle, swine, poultry, and more. However, for cattle producers, there is a limit to what livestock qualifies for the assistance payments.
Cora Fox is the Director for Government Relations with the Iowa Cattlemen?s Association. She talks about the CFAP 2.0 program and the lack of any ability for producers to claim their breeding stock or culled cows. However, there are some loopholes in this exclusion as well. Some intended breeding stock may be eligible.
Fox says the reasoning that came from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was that breeding animals, unlike market animals, are more likely to be staying on farms, and their value wouldn?t be as impacted by events like COVID-19.
Fox says that the cow/calf sector is going to be affected by COVID, but USDA is looking backward at how farmers have been affected. She says that the Iowa Cattlemen?s Association understands the USDA?s rationale, but they will also be keeping an eye on how cow/calf producers are affected and will be prepared to ask for future help.
Signup is running now through December 11th. This covers losses incurred from April 16th ? August 31st, 2020. Fox urges all producers to look at their operations and take advantage of any assistance for which they may qualify.
