Press release:
Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) joined colleagues in calling on the Biden Administration to resume payments for the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).
“Throughout the pandemic, farmers have supported the American people with dedication, despite facing severe hardships as a result of COVID-19," Jacobs said. "The CFAP program has been one of many successful programs developed by the previous administration to ensure American farmers, producers, and processors have access to the resources they need to continue to support the American people.
"The Biden administration’s decision to halt this program is irresponsible given the ongoing pandemic, and many farmers are in urgent need of this assistance.”
The letter signed by 15 representatives specifically calls on the Biden Administration to immediately resume the processing of applications and payments for the second round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) while the new USDA conducts its regulatory review.
The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program was created by the CARES Act of 2020, and the first round was implemented in May. It assists producers of agricultural commodities marketed in 2020 who face continuing market disruptions, reduced farm-level prices and increased production and marketing costs due to COVID-19.
Additional funding for CFAP was appropriated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, signed into law on Dec. 27th.
“Supporting American farmers is critical to stabilizing the United States’ food supply during the pandemic," Jacobs said. "CFAP has been a key support to farmers and has received bipartisan support in Congress. I urge the Biden administration to immediately resume the processing of applications and payments for this program to provide critical relief to American farmers."
Additional Info: Agriculture.com
