Ranking Member Boozman's Statement on Announcement of Final Rule for Pandemic Relief Eligibility for Livestock, Poultry Contract Producers

Statement

WASHINGTON--U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its long-awaited final rule making contract producers of livestock and poultry eligible for assistance under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) 2.

"CFAP has been immensely helpful for farmers who had been hit hard by the disruptions COVID-19 brought on. Unfortunately, contract growers of livestock and poultry who suffered revenue losses were originally omitted when the program was created.

That's why I helped lead the charge to provide financial assistance to contract growers of livestock and poultry who had been previously left out of earlier rounds of government assistance when we negotiated and passed the bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations bill.

While I am pleased to see USDA is now moving forward with implementation, it should not take well over half a year for hard-hit and previously left-behind producers to get emergency relief. I urge the department to swiftly process applications so that producers who desperately need this long-awaited help receive it," Boozman said.

Background
Up to $1 billion for payments to contract producers of eligible livestock and poultry for revenue losses from Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 27, 2020 was provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 [P.L. 116-260]. Contract producers of broilers, pullets, layers, poultry eggs, turkeys, hogs and pigs, ducks, geese, pheasants and quail may be eligible for assistance.

Eligible producers have until October 12, 2021 to apply for or modify applications for CFAP 2. Producers should contact their local Farm Service Agency office to inquire about eligibility and apply for relief.

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