Chad Smith, NAFB News Service

President Trump and Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue announced an additional $14 billion in aid for agricultural producers who continue to face market disruption and costs associated with COVID-19. The producer signup for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) at the USDA Farm Service Agency’s county offices starts on September 21 and runs through December 11. In a news release, the Ag Secretary says, “America’s agriculture communities are resilient, but still face many challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Perdue notes that the agency “listened to feedback” from farmers, ranchers, and agricultural organizations about the impact of the pandemic on the nation’s farms and ranches, and they developed a program to better meet the needs of those impacted. USDA will use the funds being made available from the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to support row crops, livestock, specialty crops, dairy, aquaculture, and many additional commodities. The Hagstrom Report says Senate Ag Appropriations Subcommittee Chair John Hoeven of North Dakota said he’d talked about the program this week with Perdue and Budget Director Russ Vought, who had to approve the assistance. “Our producers don’t quit,” Hoeven says, “and Congress must match their resolve with measures to help them through a difficult time.”