The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today said much-needed assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would begin to help farmers and their customers recover from the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue on Friday announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), providing $19 billion in immediate relief to support farmers and ranchers, maintain the integrity of the food supply chain and ensure Americans continue to receive and have access to food.
The program provides $3.9 billion for row crop producers, including corn farmers. The livestock industry, corn farmers’ number one customer, will receive $9.6 billion in assistance, ensuring this important market keeps functioning.
“Agriculture is facing immense uncertainty amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” said NCGA President Kevin Ross. “This much-needed relief will not only provide direct assistance to our nation’s corn farmers but also deliver much-needed relief to our customers who produce and feed livestock. We thank Secretary Perdue for acting quickly and look forward to working with USDA on further program details.”
NCGA is working closely with its members and leaders in Washington, D.C., to address the COVID-19 pandemic and remains committed to creating solutions to help corn farmers and their customers recover from the financial impacts of this crisis. More information can be found at ncga.com/covid-19.
COVID-19 Resources
NCGA is taking a series of actions to do our part to help contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the economic fallout it is creating for corn farmers and our customers. Short term, this means instituting policies to protect the health and safety of our stakeholders and the broader communities we serve. Long term, we’re focused on creating solutions to help corn farmers and our customers recover from the financial impacts of this crisis.
CommonGround
CommonGround is a group of farmers connecting with consumers through conversations about science and research and personal stories about food and misinformation surrounding farming. Supported by the NCGA and state corn organizations.
SHP
The Soil Health Partnership (SHP) is a farmer-led initiative that fosters transformation in agriculture through improved soil health. Administered by NCGA the partnership has more than 220 working farms enrolled in 16 states. SHP’s mission is to utilize science and data to partner with farmers who are adopting conservation agricultural practices that improve the economic and environmental sustainability of the farm.