Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)
CFAP closed on December 11, 2020. Additional information can be found at farmers.gov/cfap.
Additionally, USDA has suspended the processing and payments under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program - Additional Assistance and has halted implementation until further notice. Farm Service Agency offices will continue to accept applications during the evaluation period.
In the coming days, USDA and the Biden Administration intend to take additional steps to bring relief and support to all parts of food and agriculture during the coronavirus pandemic, including by ensuring producers have access to the capital, risk management tools, disaster assistance, and other federal resources.
Crop Insurance
Q: I am an Approved Insurance Provider. Where do I find information on flexibilities related to the federal crop insurance program?
A: USDA's Risk Management Agency is working with those insurance providers to provide additional flexibilities in response to COVID-19. Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) can find additional information, including Manager's Bulletins and frequently asked questions at rma.usda.gov/en/News-Room/Continuing-Interest/Coronavirus-Resources.
Q: I am a farmer with federal crop insurance coverage. Where do I find information on flexibilities related to the federal crop insurance program?
A: Producers should continue to work with their crop insurance agents and Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) regarding flexibilities for crop insurance policies as well as other crop insurance questions or needs.
USDA's Risk Management Agency is continuing to work with its stakeholders, including AIPs, to provide additional flexibilities in response to COVID-19, when applicable, including:
- Enabling producers to send notifications and reports electronically
- Extending the date for production reports
- Providing additional time and deferring interest on premium and other payments
- Expanding replant self-certification
- Waiving the witness signature requirement for approval of Assignments of Indemnity
- Allowing dumped milk to be counted as milk marketings for the Dairy Revenue Protection or actual marketings for the Livestock Gross Margin for Dairy programs
- Allowing phone and electronic transactions for sales and reporting dates, including options and endorsements
- Extending the deadline for some perennial crop Pre-Acceptance Inspection Reports (PAIRs)
- Waiving the 2021 crop year inspection requirements for the Nursery and Nursery Value Select (NVS) programs in certain cases.
- Authorizing AIPs to allow organic producers to report acreage as certified organic, or transitioning to organic, when they have requested a written certification from a certifying agent by their policy’s acreage reporting date.
Your crop insurance agent can provide additional information regarding the applicable flexibilities.
More information is available on farmers.gov/coronavirus.
Farm Programs
Q: Are program signups still occurring, even if Service Centers are not open to the public?
A: USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are continuing to receive and process applications for key programs. More information is available on farmers.gov/coronavirus as well as farmers.gov/program-deadlines.
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Farm Credit
Farm loans are critical for annual operating and family living expenses, term investments for equipment and livestock, emergency needs, and cash flow, especially in tough times.
USDA has temporarily suspended non-judicial foreclosures, debt offsets or wage garnishments, and referring foreclosures to the Department of Justice. USDA is working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to stop judicial foreclosures and evictions on accounts that were previously referred to the Department of Justice. This is for both direct loans and Farm Storage Facility Loans.
Additionally, USDA extended deadlines for producers to respond to loan servicing actions, including loan deferral consideration for financially distressed and delinquent borrowers. More information can be found on farmers.gov/coronavirus.
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Grading and Auditing
Q: Will quality grading and inspection services continue?
A: AMS continues to provide critical inspections and grading services. AMS is ensuring the health and safety of USDA employees while still providing the timely delivery of the services to maintain the movement of America’s food supply from farms to forks. If needed, AMS is prepared to remedy any possible disruptions in services.
Q: Should I be concerned about allowing a grader into my facility?
A: All USDA employees have received guidance on protocols, preventative measures and mitigation guidelines regarding COVID-19. USDA guidance is consistent with CDC guidance. AMS is ensuring the health and safety of USDA employees while still providing the timely delivery of the services to maintain the movement of America’s food supply from farms to forks. As always, AMS in-plant personnel, including quality graders and inspectors are instructed to stay home if they are ill.
Q: Will auditing services continue?
A: AMS continues to provide auditing and accreditation services. If needed, AMS is prepared to remedy any possible disruptions in services.
Paycheck Protection Program
On March 27th, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This package appropriated $349 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP is a guaranteed loan program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The purpose of the program is to support small businesses and help support their payroll during the coronavirus situation.
Q: Are agricultural producers, farmers, and ranchers eligible for the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)?
A: Agricultural producers, farmers, and ranchers with 500 or fewer employees whose principal place of residence is in the United States are eligible.
Farms are eligible if: (i) the farm has 500 or less employees, OR (ii) it fits within the revenue-based sized standard, which is on average annual receipts of $1M.
Additionally, farms can qualify for PPP if it meets SBA’s “alternative size standard.” The “alternative size standard” is currently: (1) a maximum net worth of the business not more than $15 million, AND (2) the average net income Federal income taxes of the business for the two full fiscal years before the date of the application be not more than $5 million.
Q: Are agricultural and other forms of cooperatives eligible for PPP?
A: As long as other eligibility requirements are met, small agricultural cooperatives may receive PPP loans. Other forms of cooperatives may be eligible provided they comply with all other Loan Program Requirements (as defined in 13 CFR 120.10).
Q: Do H-2A or H-2B workers on my payroll count towards my eligibility and total possible loan amount?
A: Only employees with a principal place of residence in the U.S. count toward eligibility and calculation of the PPP loan amount.
Q: How do sole proprietor farmers provide accurate documentation regarding payroll, when they may not take a traditional salary?
A: SBA requires sole proprietors, independent contractors, and other eligible self-employed individuals to provide documentation to its lender that the business was in operation as of February 15, 2020. This documentation may include payroll processor records, payroll tax filings, or Form 1099-MISC, or income and expenses from a sole proprietorship. For borrowers that do not have any such documentation, the borrower must provide other supporting documentation to its lender, such as bank records, sufficient to demonstrate the qualifying payroll amount.
Documentation options for payroll tax filings include the following:
IRS Form 941 (quarterly wages); IRS Form 944 (calendar year wages); State income, payroll and unemployment insurance filings; QuickBooks; bank repository accounts; and/or internally generated profit and loss statements. However:
- Nonprofit organizations must include IRS Form 990;
- Sole proprietors must include IRS Form 1040 Schedule C;
- Any entity that filed IRS Form 1099-MISC must include this form;
- Seasonal employers must document the period beginning February 15, 2019 through June 30, 2019
More extensive FAQs can be found at the Treasury Department’s CARES Act website (PDF, 50 KB).
Reporting Market Concerns
Q: What agency should I contact if I believe I have not received a fair price for my livestock or poultry or I suspect packers/processors are depressing or manipulating livestock or poultry prices?
A: The AMS Packers and Stockyards Division monitors industry activities and reviews and investigates to determine whether regulated entities are complying with the Packers and Stockyards Act (P&S Act) and regulations. AMS encourages farmers, ranchers and other producers, consumers, and members of the livestock, meat, and poultry industries to report incidents of a) slow, insufficient, or non-payment for livestock, or poultry, b) potential antitrust practices, or c) unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent practices by packers, dealers, stockyards, market agencies, live poultry dealers, or swine contractors. See the P&S Act Fact Sheet (PDF, 398 KB) for a more complete description of the practices subject to AMS's enforcement.
Any person can report violations or suspected violations and abuses in the livestock, meat, and poultry industries to the AMS Packers and Stockyards Division at psdcomplaints@usda.gov.
AMS Market News does not have any regulatory authority over industry or market activities.
Q: What agency should I contact if I suspect price manipulation or discriminatory pricing associated with the COVID-19 pandemic for meat or poultry commodities at the wholesale level?
A: The AMS Packers and Stockyards Division monitors industry activities and conducts regulatory compliance reviews and investigations to determine whether subject persons and firms are complying with the Packers and Stockyards Act (P&S Act) and regulations. You should contact the AMS Packers and Stockyards Division at psdcomplaints@usda.gov.
Q: What agency should I contact if I suspect price fixing, bid rigging, market allocation, or other fraudulent and illegal schemes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic for other wholesale commodities such as eggs, dairy, or produce?
A: If these commodities are part of interstate commerce, you should contact the U.S. Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission. More information can be found at www.justice.gov and www.ftc.gov. You may submit a complaint directly to the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division at www.justice.gov/atr/citizen-complaint-center.
Q: What agency should I contact if I suspect price gouging associated with the COVID-19 pandemic at the retail level for consumers?
A: In this case, you should contact your state Attorney General’s office. More information can be found at www.consumerresources.org which provides a host of consumer protection information from the state and territory attorneys general, including actions attorneys general are taking to protect consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Department of Justice created a task force (PDF, 405 KB) to address COVID-19-related market manipulation, hoarding, and price gouging. More information about the Department of Justice’s efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Q: Who should I contact if I suspect price manipulation in the markets for grain or livestock commodities that are traded in the futures markets?
A: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) conducts futures market surveillance as part of the market oversight mission. You can find more information at www.cftc.gov/coronavirus.
Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs
Q: Does Coronavirus delay implementation of the China Phase One Deal?
A: The U.S. Trade Representative, which is responsible for implementing the Phase One trade agreement, has had no conversations like this with our Chinese counterparts. We expect that the Chinese will meet their commitments under the agreement.
USDA Service Centers
Q: How do I file my acreage report?
A: USDA is using a phased, data-driven approach to determine which Service Centers are open for in-person appointments. Please check the status of your local USDA Service Center at farmers.gov/coronavirus/service-center-status.
Acreage reporting is key to eligibility for many USDA programs, including crop insurance, safety net, disaster assistance, farm loan, and conservation programs. FSA staff can provide acreage reporting assistance through phone, email, and virtual meetings like Microsoft Teams.
FSA offices and producers are currently using the following methods to obtain maps and finalize signatures on acreage reports completed as a result of information provided on the maps:
- Through a physical “drop box” located at or near the local USDA Service Center,
- Electronically via email, or
- Through mail.
To file a crop acreage report, you need:
- An FSA map of your farm or ranch and your tract and field numbers,
- The intended use of your crops,
- The number of acres of crops you are reporting,
- Approximate crop boundaries, planting patterns and dates, irrigation practices, producer shares, and other information as directed by the local Service Center.
Acreage reporting dates can vary by crop and by county. Contact the FSA office at your local USDA Service Center for details in your county, and visit farmers.gov/coronavirus for more information.
Q: Can I conduct my USDA business without having to physically come to a Service Center?
A: USDA is using a phased, data-driven approach to determine which Service Centers are open for in-person appointments. Please check the status of your local USDA Service Center at farmers.gov/coronavirus/service-center-status. Our program delivery staff can work with agricultural producers by phone and using email and online tools whenever possible. Field work, including conservation planning assistance, will continue with appropriate social distancing.
Online services are available to producers with a Level 2 eAuthentication account, which provides access to the farmers.gov portal, Conservation Client Gateway and FSAfarm+. Available services include:
- View loan information, history, and payments for USDA farm loans.
- Track NRCS payments, report completed practices, request conservation assistance, and electronically sign certain NRCS documents.
Customers who do not already have an eAuth account can enroll by selecting the “Sign In | Sign Up” on farmers.gov. This page provides step-by-step instructions for creating an account.
Q: What do I do if I have questions on USDA farm programs?
USDA is using a phased, data-driven approach to determine which Service Centers are open for in-person appointments. Please check the status of your local USDA Service Center at farmers.gov/coronavirus/service-center-status. Our program delivery staff can work with agricultural producers by phone and using email and online tools whenever possible.
Updated information regarding the impact of COVID-19 on Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Risk Management Agency programs and services can be found on farmers.gov/coronavirus.
Loan payments can be mailed to the FSA office at your local USDA Service Center.
Q: Are Service Centers open to the public?
A: USDA is using a phased, data-driven approach to determine which Service Centers are open for in-person appointments. Please check the status of your local USDA Service Center at farmers.gov/coronavirus/service-center-status. Our program delivery staff can work with agricultural producers by phone and using email and online tools whenever possible. Field work, including conservation planning assistance, will continue with appropriate social distancing. Producers can find their Service Center’s phone number at farmers.gov/service-center-locator.
Q: How will this impact my local office and the services I need to receive?
A: USDA staff are available to continue helping agricultural producers with program signups, loan servicing, conservation planning assistance, and other important actions. Producers can continue to apply for farm loan, disaster assistance, safety net, and conservation programs as well as crop insurance.
Additionally, USDA has added flexibilities for farm loans and crop insurance and is working to implement new assistance opportunities available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. More information is available on farmers.gov/coronavirus.