The Trump administration on Monday announced the second phase of its program to aid American farmers losing money due to ongoing trade disputes, the National Pork Producers Council noted in a news release.
USDA in late August outlined an assistance plan to mitigate farmers’ financial losses in the wake of retaliatory tariffs imposed on U.S. farm goods by China, Mexico and other nations. U.S. pork, for example, was slapped with two 25 percent duties from China and a 20 tariff from Mexico.
Under the assistance program, pork producers with adjusted gross income of less than $900,000 are eligible for direct payments of $8 per animal – in two phases of $4 each – based on the number of live hogs they owned on Aug. 1, or on any day between July 15 and Aug. 15 if that is more representative of the entity’s ownership interests. Livestock payments are limited to $125,000 per person or legal entity. Sign-up for the program began Sept. 4 and runs through Jan. 15.
The $12 billion aid package also included a $559 million government purchase of pork to supply federal food assistance programs. USDA is making the purchases, which are expected to cover about a week’s worth of production, in four tranches. This past week, the first shipments of pork purchased by the government under the aid plan were delivered to food centers around the country.
NPPC lauded the Trump administration for addressing farmers’ needs, but urged an end to the trade disputes with China and Mexico.
“We need to end these trade disputes soon and open new markets, so we can export to consumers around the globe the safest, most nutritious pork in the world,” NPPC President Jim Heimerl said.
NPPC also has been urging the White House to negotiate new trade deals with countries, particularly ones in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region, beginning with Japan.
Source : Meatingplace