By Julie Larson Bricher on 9/18/2020. MeatingPlace.com

An additional $14 billion will bolster the federal Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) to help agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19, according to the Trump Administration and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.

USDA will use funds available from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and CARES Act to support row crops, livestock, specialty crops, dairy, aquaculture and many additional commodities through the CFAP 2 program.

The CFAP 2 program provides financial assistance to producers to improve their ability to absorb increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. CFAP 2 payments will be made for price trigger commodities, flat-rate crops and sales commodities, the agency said.

For broilers and eggs, payments will be based on 75% of the producers’ 2019 production. Eligible beef cattle, hogs and pigs, and lambs and sheep payments will be based on the maximum owned inventory of eligible livestock, excluding breeding stock, on a date selected by the producer, between Apr. 16 and Aug. 31.

Producers can apply for assistance beginning Sept. 21. Applications will be accepted through Dec. 11. Additional information, application forms and other requirements can be found at farmers.gov/cfap.