USDA announces industry support during COVID-19

Apr 20, 2020

The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program earmarks US$19 billion to help farmers

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a new program to help farmers and ranchers manage the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue unveiled the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) on Friday. The USDA will use US$19 billion from the Trump Administration’s US$2-trillion stimulus package and other funds to provide relief to U.S. producers.

The money will be distributed in two avenues.

The agriculture department has earmarked US$16 billion in direct payments to producers, and the remaining US$3 billion will be used to purchase fresh produce, dairy and meat for distribution to food banks and other community organizations.

“Having to dump milk or plow under vegetables ready to market is not only financially distressing but it’s heartbreaking as well to those who produce them,” Perdue said Friday.

U.S. producers are pleased to see the government come through with a support program.

These uncertain times require action, said Richard Preston, president of the Kentucky Corn Growers Association.

“Dramatic things need to be done and one thing that must be done is keeping the food supply functioning,” he told Farms.com. “We can’t let our farmers go under because it would cause a huge problem down the road.”

Preston likened the program to a bridge.

Like several industries, the ag sector is trying to manage the pandemic until it’s over and business can return to normal, he said.

“Until we come through this, it’s going to be hard to keep our businesses and economy going,” he said. “The idea right now is just to keep everything functioning so when we get to the other side, we can build our future.”

The USDA will release details on eligibility and payment rates at a later date.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.