Poultry Producers Now Eligible for CFAP Assistance

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, will provide additional assistance through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, or CFAP, to poultry producers and other commodities.

The assistance will expand eligibility for some agricultural producers and commodities as well as updating payments to accurately compensate some producers who already applied for the program.

“This assistance is very beneficial to our nearly 3,000 poultry producers, especially for those who weren’t eligible for the Poultry Farmers Stabilization Program through the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries,” said APEA Associate Director Ray Hilburn. “We thank Secretary Perdue for supporting our industry during a crucial time in our nation’s history.”

Contract broiler producers will receive $1.5 billion of the $2.3 billion available, while laying hens, chicken egg, pullet and turkey producers will receive a combined $69 million.

Producers of pullets also now are eligible for CFAP payments. The commodity was not explicitly included in the initial CFAP 2 rule.

Those who suffered a drop in revenue in 2020 as compared to their 2019 revenue because of the pandemic are eligible for the assistance. Producers could receive up to 80% of their revenue loss, subject to the availability of funds.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has left a deep impact on the farm economy, and we are utilizing the tools and monies available to ease some of the financial burdens on American producers to ensure our agricultural economy remains strong, independent and a global leader in production,” Secretary Perdue said. “As part of implementing CFAP 1 and CFAP 2, we identified new areas of support and Congress recently directed us to provide additional relief. This additional assistance builds on to the $23.6 billion in assistance already provided to our farmers and ranchers impacted by the pandemic, and we will continue to implement other provisions enacted by Congress.”

Producers who are now eligible and those who need to modify existing applications due to these updates can contact USDA’s Farm Service Agency between Jan. 19 and Feb. 26. Some of these changes are being made to align with the recently enacted Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 while others are discretionary changes being made in response to ongoing evaluation of CFAP.

The Alabama Poultry and Egg Association represents Alabama's poultry industry, which is the state's largest agricultural industry with an annual economic impact of $15 billion. Alabama's poultry industry generates more than 65 percent of agricultural commodity sales and employs more than 86,000 workers while processing over 22 million broiler chickens per week.