WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today praised an announcement from President Donald Trump that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will distribute a second round of assistance to agricultural producers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) has already distributed one round of direct payments to agricultural producers whose markets have been disrupted or lost due to the pandemic. On August 11, USDA announced approximately 60 additional commodities that would be eligible for assistance under CFAP.
“Once again, I thank President Trump and Secretary Perdue for their efforts to ensure American farmers, ranchers, and growers can continue to feed the country and the world amidst depressed commodity prices and disrupted markets,” Roberts said.
“I have heard directly from our farmers and ranchers about the harsh conditions in farm country. I will continue to advocate for certainty and predictability for agricultural producers, especially during these challenging and unprecedented times.”
Congress authorized funding for CFAP in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was approved by a unanimous vote in the U.S. Senate. President Trump signed the CARES Act into law on March 27. The CARES Act included $9.5 billion in funds to assist agricultural producers, as well as additional resources to partially replenish the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Additionally, Congress provided flexibility for the Secretary of Agriculture to purchase commodities for emergency distribution in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
Today, Roberts took to the Senate floor to urge colleagues to replenish the CCC, which is used to implement our Farm Bill programs and to provide additional assistance to agricultural producers affected by the pandemic. Failure to replenish the CCC would jeopardize the continued implementation of 2018 Farm Bill programs and hurt already struggling farmers, ranchers, and growers. Click here to read and watch his remarks.
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