Press Releases
Pingree Celebrates USDA’s New Pandemic Assistance for ProducersUSDA Will Open Coronavirus Support Programs to Small- and Medium-sized Farms; Increase Outreach and Targeted Programming
Washington,
March 24, 2021
Tags:
Food and Agriculture
In reaction to the news of U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today released the following statement: “Small-scale producers bore the brunt of supply chain changes and pandemic-related losses in agriculture, and yet, they received inadequate support from the previous Department of Agriculture,” said Pingree. “Under Secretary Vilsack’s leadership, USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers will create a more equitable and accessible set of financial supports for local producers in Maine. I’ve been pushing since the earliest days of the pandemic for small farmers to be supported through the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. I look forward to working with the Biden administration on the details of this assistance to ensure that it reaches the producers who need it most.” Funding announced today through USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative includes support that will reach a broader set of producers than previous COVID-19 aid programs. These efforts will include at least $6 billion in assistance for:
The announcement also includes a reopening of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) 2 for all eligible producers. Maine farmers who did not apply for a CFAP payment before the application window closed in December will now be eligible to apply starting April 5. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pingree has been an outspoken advocate for the nation’s small to midsize farms to receive targeted economic relief:
Pingree is an organic farmer and a recognized national policy leader on sustainable farming and local agricultural markets. She is a member of the House Agriculture Committee and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture. ###
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