Effective April 5th, the USDA will implement the second round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) that was frozen in January with $2.3 billion set aside for the program. Farmers now have 60 days to apply or to modify previously submitted CFAP 2 applications.
Although final details have yet to be announced, the CFAP updates will include payments for cattle to 410,000 producers to the value of $1.1 billion. Row-crop farmers will receive $20 per acre with $4.5 billion potentially distributed to 560,000 producers. USDA will also assign $6 billion for new programs using funding from the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed in December.
Socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers will receive $2 million and proposals are now solicited to provide outreach and technical assistance to minority and small-scale farmers.
On April 12th USDA announced that $60 million was disbursed the previous week.