USDA Unveils Support Package for American Farmers
August 1, 2019
On July 25, 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released an official press release announcing further details of the $16 billion package aimed at supporting American agricultural producers. Of these funds, $14.5 billion will be provided in direct payments through the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) for 2019 to assist impacted producers, which is in line with the estimated impacts of the retaliatory tariffs on – and non-tariff barriers to exports of – U.S. agricultural goods.
MFP payments will be made to producers of almonds, cranberries, cultivated ginseng, fresh grapes, fresh sweet cherries, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts. Each specialty crop will receive a payment based on 2019 acres of fruit or nut bearing plants, according to the press release.
What USDA’s Market Facilitation Program Means
FOR YOU:
Pecans are included on the list of specialty crops covered under the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) assistance. Further eligibility requirements are outlined here.
If you are pecan producer who meets the qualifications, you can apply to receive $146 per acre, based on 2019 acres of nut-bearing plants.
Producers affected by natural disasters who filed prevented planting claims then planted an MFP-eligible cover crop, with the potential to be harvested or for subsequent use as forage, qualify for a $15 per acre payment. Acreage of cover crops must be planted by August 1, 2019 to be considered eligible for MFP payments.
The MFP payments will be in up to three portions, with the first payments in mid- to late August. Payments to specialty crop producers are limited to a combined $250,000, according to the release.
MFP signups are through your local FSA office and will run from Monday, July 29 through Friday, December 6, 2019. To download the one-page MFP Application and find your local FSA office, please click the buttons below.
More information is available at the Federal Register. State per acre payment rates by specific commodity will be posted to FSA’s website www.fsa.usda.gov.
Find Your Local Service Center
If you have any questions, please contact your local USDA service office or the American Pecan Council at any time.