(NAFB) – Pork producers who sold hogs through a spot market sale during COVID-19 now have until April 15 to submit applications for the USDA’s Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program.

The original deadline to submit applications was February 25. The program assists pork producers who sold hogs through a spot market sale between April 16 and September 1 of 2020. During those months, producers faced the greatest reduction in market prices due to the pandemic. USDA is offering SMHPP in response to a reduction in packer production and supply chain issues due to COVID-19, which resulted in fewer negotiated hogs getting procured by processors and lower market prices. “In response to stakeholder feedback and our program analysis, we’ll be making adjustments to clarify the definition of a spot market sale and to hog eligibility while including documentation requirements to prevent erroneous payments,” says FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux.