Almond growers have less than one month to apply for USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2).
In September, USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) announced it would provide an additional $14 billion dollars for agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19 via the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2). Through this program, almond growers may apply for assistance funding based on their sales in 2019.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) began accepting CFAP 2 applications on September 21, and the deadline for submitting applications is December 11, less than a month away. The Almond Board of California (ABC) strongly encourages eligible growers who have not yet applied to contact FSA to begin the application process. It is important to note that participating in the CFAP 1 program does not exclude a grower from participating in CFAP 2. Growers seeking one-on-one support during the CFAP 2 application process can call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer general assistance.
This is a USDA-recommended first step before a grower engages the team at a local FSA county office. More information on CFAP 2 may be found at farmers.gov/cfap
