Take Steps Now to Prepare for Coronavirus Assistance

The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) will provide direct support based on losses for agriculture producers where prices and market supply chains have been significantly impacted and will assist eligible producers facing additional adjustment and marketing costs resulting from lost demand and short-term oversupply for the 2020 marketing year caused by COVID-19.

CFAP will provide assistance to most farms that have experienced at least a five percent loss and will be available to farms regardless of size. USDA is still working on the final details of the actual payment rates and those details will be determined and included as part of the rule-making process.

Once the rule making process is complete, the application period will be open and subject to the eligibility and payment limit criteria described in the rule.

As part of applying for the program, you’ll need to contact the Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office to schedule an appointment.

Your local FSA staff will work with you to apply for the program, and through forms asking for this type of information:

• Contact

• Personal, including your Tax Identification Number

• Farming operating structure

• Adjusted Gross Income to ensure eligibility

• Direct deposit to enable payment

Please do not send any personal information to USDA without first initiating contact through a phone call. They take your privacy and security of your information very seriously. If you are an existing customer, this information is likely on file at your local Service Center.

What Can You Do Now?

While the application process has not started, you can start gathering / understanding your farm’s recent sales and inventory. FSA has streamlined the signup process to not require an acreage report at the time of application and a USDA farm number may not be immediately needed.

How Will USDA Accept Applications?

USDA Service Centers are open for business by phone appointment only. Once the application period opens, call your FSA county office to schedule an appointment.

Information on CFAP can be found at farmers.gov/CFAP

Thursday May 14th

Webinar for Farmers on Accessing Emergency Payments

Join a webinar on Thursday, May 14, 2020, at 10 a.m. PST, for farmers, ranchers and other producers interested in learning more about accessing $16 billion in direct payments through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) included in the most recent COVID-19 relief package.

You may submit questions through the Q&A box during the webinar or by emailing CFAP.webinars@usda.gov. While questions will not be answered live during the webinar, answers will be posted at farmers.gov/CFAP.