More Poultry Producers Eligible For Pandemic Assistance

Alabama poultry contract producers may be eligible for the newest update to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Applications close Oct. 12. CFAP 2 provides up to $1 billion for payments to contract producers of broilers, pullets, layers and poultry eggs for revenue losses from Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 27, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The update, announced Aug. 24, adds eligible breeding stock and eggs of all eligible poultry types produced under contract.

Additional Details

This update means contract producers can now elect to use eligible revenue from the period of Jan. 1, 2018, through Dec. 27, 2018, instead of the date range in 2019 if it is more representative. Formerly, payments for contract producers were to be based on a comparison of eligible revenue for the periods of Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 27, 2019, and Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 27, 2020.

This change is intended to provide flexibility and make the program more equitable for contract producers who had reduced revenue in 2019 compared to a normal production year. The difference in revenue is then multiplied by 80% to determine a final payment. Payments to contract producers may be factored if total calculated payments exceed the available funding and will be made after the application period closes.