WASHINGTON, March 24, 2021 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is establishing new programs and efforts to bring financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions. The new initiative—USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers—will reach a broader set of producers than in previous COVID-19 aid programs. USDA is dedicating at least $6 billion toward the new programs. The Department will also develop rules for new programs that will put a greater emphasis on outreach to small and socially disadvantaged producers, specialty crop and organic producers, timber harvesters, as well as provide support for the food supply chain and producers of renewable fuel, among others. Existing programs like the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) will fall within the new initiative and, where statutory authority allows, will be refined to better address the needs of producers.
USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers was needed, said Vilsack, after a review of previous COVID-19 assistance programs targeting farmers identified a number of gaps and disparities in how assistance was distributed as well as inadequate outreach to underserved producers and smaller and medium operations.
“The pandemic affected all of agriculture, but many farmers did not benefit from previous rounds of pandemic-related assistance. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to helping as many producers as possible, as equitably as possible,” said Vilsack. “Our new USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative will help get financial assistance to a broader set of producers, including to socially disadvantaged communities, small and medium sized producers, and farmers and producers of less traditional crops.”
USDA will reopen sign-up for CFAP 2 for at least 60 days beginning on April 5, 2021. The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has committed at least $2.5 million to improve outreach for CFAP 2 and will establish partnerships with organizations with strong connections to socially disadvantaged communities to ensure they are informed and aware of the application process.
The payments announced today (under Part 3, below) will go out under the existing CFAP rules; however, future opportunities for USDA Pandemic Assistance will be reviewed for verified need and during the rulemaking process, USDA will look to make eligibility more consistent with the Farm Bill. Moving forward, USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers will utilize existing programs, such as the Local Agricultural Marketing Program, Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach, and Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, and others to enhance educational and market opportunities for agricultural producers.
USDA will dedicate at least $6 billion to develop a number of new programs or modify existing proposals using discretionary funding from the Consolidated Appropriations Act and other coronavirus funding that went unspent by the previous administration. Where rulemaking is required, it will commence this spring. These efforts will include assistance for:
USDA expects to begin investing approximately $500 million in expedited assistance through several existing programs this spring, with most by April 30. This new assistance includes:
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, enacted December 2020 requires FSA to make certain payments to producers according to a mandated formula. USDA is now expediting these provisions because there is no discretion involved in interpreting such directives, they are self-enacting.
As noted above, USDA will re-open sign-up for of CFAP 2 for at least 60 days beginning on April 5, 2021.
Please stay tuned for additional information and announcements under the USDA Pandemic Assistance to Producers initiative, which will help to expand and more equitably distribute financial assistance to producers and farming operations during the COVID-19 national emergency. Please visit www.farmers.gov for more information on the details of today’s announcement.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean-energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
Known as the most widely attended conference in the Western Hemisphere, the Rice Market & Technology Convention is returning to the Lone Star state – Texas! After careful consideration, taking into account travel restrictions and COVID-19 precautions, the RMTC will take place July 6-8, 2021 at the Woodlands Resort & Conference Center, just 30 minutes north of downtown Houston, Texas, and 25 minutes from George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Renowned speakers from all over the world along with Sponsors and Exhibitors showcasing the latest technology and services are gearing up to bring attendees fresh content and information. Attendees will have many opportunities to network one on one during scheduled coffee breaks, extended luncheons, and much more. With simultaneous translation services, attendees will have every opportunity to learn from all our speakers.
In This Issue:
This week, Bianka Rodriguez, USRPA Marketing & Western Hemisphere Promotions Director along with Grace Wang, USRPA Eastern Hemisphere Promotions Director, and FAS Officers and Cooperators attended the Virtual Mexico Micro-Regional Conference. The Mexico Micro-Regional conference – General Strategic Planning consisted of a two-hour program moderated by Erick Kuss, Director of Agricultural Trade Office, ATO, Mexico City. Holly Higgins, Rhiannon Elms, and Daniel Alvarado, Paul Trupo, and Karisha Kuypers were part of the selected group of speakers. The session focused on updating Posts’ analysis of the market’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and ended with shared action items.
US Rice Producers Association is proud to have close working relationships with Post throughout the world.
Today the House is scheduled to consider H.R.1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021. Text of the legislation may be found here. This immigration bill would address legal status of farm workers. Floor consideration of this separate piece of legislation reflects a change by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to adopt a piecemeal legislative approach to immigration. Previously there was a desire to enact comprehensive immigration reform.
Although the bill is expected to be passed by the House, the Senate outlook is uncertain. Immigration legislation is being carefully scrutinized by both House and Senate Republicans given the current situation of large increases of unaccompanied minors and others entering the U.S.
House Democratic leaders may also consider this week a bill to block the massive across-the-board spending cuts which would result from the newly enacted $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package. PAYGO rules must be waived in order to avoid the budget sequestration reductions in farm bill programs as well as many other areas of the government. The House is expected to easily pass a waiver on PAYGO, the Senate is less certain given that at least 10 Republicans are needed to pass the measure in the Senate. In the past, the waiver was inserted into must-pass legislation as was done for the 2017 tax bill.
Sequestration cuts are a result of limitations enacted in 2010 under pay-as-you-go rules, which require Congress to offset the cost of each piece of legislation. Both parties have repeatedly waived the requirement to avoid the cuts with other major reconciliation packages. Democrats joined Republicans to avert $150 billion in cuts that would have been prompted by the 2017 tax overhaul, including a $25 billion chunk from Medicare. Congress also waived any reductions when it came to Obama-era stimulus legislation and multiple tax cut packages under George W. Bush.
In This Issue:
This Thursday, President Biden signed the $1.9 trillion COVID economic stimulus package (aka the American Rescue Plan) into law. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) passed the House and Senate without a single Republican vote. The House had cleared the final version of the bill on Wednesday by a 220-211 vote. Only one Democrat, Jared Golden of Maine, voted against the final bill. ARP provides $1,400-per-person payments to individuals with incomes up to $75,000 a year and couples making up to $150,000. The payments are phased down and then cut off after income reaches $80,000 for an individual and $160,000 for a couple. Democrats lauded the ARP as a way to provide assistance by putting money directly in people’s pockets, while Republicans criticized it as wasteful, unneeded, government spending.
The $1.9 trillion bill includes $22.7 billion in agriculture and nutrition provisions. In addition, it allows state and local governments to use the funding they will receive for rural development activities such as broadband and water and sewer infrastructure.
A much-noticed provision in the agriculture portion of the bill requires USDA to make payments to socially disadvantaged farmers worth up to 120% of their indebtedness on USDA direct and guaranteed loans. Although funding for the provision is uncapped, it is estimated that approximately 15,000 farmers will be eligible for relief and will receive payments averaging about $220,000 each.
The ARP also includes $3.6 billion earmarked to fund commodity purchases and to provide grants and loans to processors, farmers markets, producers, and organizations to pay for needs such as workers' personal protection equipment and to retool operations to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency. Another $500 million is earmarked for grants to rural health care providers to compensate them for revenue lost due to the pandemic and to help with a range of needs, including the cost of testing and vaccine distribution. ARP will expand child nutrition assistance and extend the temporary 15% increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits through September.
In This Issue:
In This Issue:
Due to the complications from the current historical winter storm throughout Texas, the Mississippi Delta, and other areas of the region we will not be issuing a Rice Advocate today. Maybe this week we call it The “Ice” Advocate.
25722 Kingsland Blvd., Ste. 203, Katy, Texas 77494
Phone: 713-974-7423
USRPA does not discriminate in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, or marital/family status. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of information (such as Braille, large print, American sign language, language translation, etc.) should contact USRPA at 713-974-7423. EEO.
