Farmers will be able to begin signing up for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) at their local Farm Service Agency office today.
But farmers will have to set up an appointment rather than expect walk-in service. Farmers can also help themselves by collecting needed information before hand and begin the application process on-line. The on-line application will go live on May 26 as well, says Sandy Chalmers, executive director of the Wisconsin State Farm Service.
Chalmers spoke on a Dairy Signals webinar Thursday sponsored by the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin. That webinar can be accessed here.
By going to the website, farmers will be able to begin the application process, she says. The neat thing about the website is that farmers can enter their milk and crop production information into a payment calculator, and that information will automatically populate their application form.
The calculator and application form will go live May 26. “Give that a try,” says Chalmers. “You don’t have to wait until you come in to begin the process. If everybody does their homework first, it will streamline the process.”
Farmers will receive $6.20/cwt for the milk they produced in the first quarter of 2020. Cull dairy cows sold for slaughter will also be eligible for payment. Corn silage on hand on January 15 will also be eligible for payment. (FSA offices are still waiting for corn silage conversion and payment rates, but expect it to be available today.)
Corn, soybeans and oats in inventory on January 15 that was not covered by forward pricing will be eligible for payment (though some volume limits may apply based on 2019 crop production). Corn will receive a payment rate of 33.5₵/bu; soybeans, 47.5₵, and oats, 16₵/bu.
In addition to the production information, farmers will need to have personal information such as name, address, taxpayer identification number, adjusted gross income compliance certification to ensure eligibility, and direct deposit information.
To access the CFAP payment calculator and application form on May 26, go HERE.
Source: Milk Business