Oct
Learn How Your Operation Can Benefit from the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) 2
The UMass Extension Risk Management Education Program in cooperation with the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation and the USDA – Farm Service Agency (FSA) conducted an information session via Zoom Meeting on CFAP 2 along with some upcoming Federal Crop Insurance deadlines on Wednesday, November 4th from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. For those individuals who were unable to attend the Zoom Meeting you can view the Zoom Meeting by clicking on the following link:
If prompted for a passcode enter: 16jhFUy+
Signup began September 21 and runs through December 11, 2020, for the second round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payments (CFAP 2) at the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Office that serves your operation. The purpose of CFAP 2 is to provide financial assistance to producers who have faced and continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. CFAP 2 provides assistance for dairy, livestock, poultry, fruits, vegetables, shellfish, maple sap, wool, honey, flowers, eligible nursery crops, and Christmas trees (including other crops that may not be listed here) grown by the applicant. Crops purchased for resale are ineligible for CFAP 2. Value-added or processed crops (such as apple cider, pies, jams, etc.) are eligible but applicants will have to determine the value of the commodity prior to processing and use that figure rather than the sales of the value added or processed commodity.
There seems to be a misconception among some members of the farming community that you have to prove to FSA that you suffered market interruptions or prove to FSA the associated costs incurred because of COVID-19. This is not true, a producer simply has to have produced the eligible crop and meet the other producer eligibility requirements to be eligible for a CFAP 2 payment.
Through the first 6 weeks of signup, 565 approved CFAP 2 applicants in Massachusetts have received over $13.4 million with over 83% of the payments being made to the category that includes fruits, vegetables, nursery, flowers, shellfish, maple sap/syrup, honey, wool and Christmas Trees.
It really is that simple of a program to participate in! Contact your local FSA Office to apply!