The American Farm Bureau Federation praised the $19 billion economic aid package provided to the nation’s farmer to make up for coronavirus losses.
About $16 billion is going to direct payments of to farmers and ranchers while another $3 billion has been allocated to purchases of American meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables.
Cattle, hog and dairy farmers will receive $9.5 billion in aid, row crops make up $3.9 billion and specialty crops will make up for $2.1 billion. Finally, “other” crops, which can range anywhere from hemp to sheep, have been allocated $500 million.
“We’re grateful to President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for working together to come to the aid of America’s farmers and ranchers. The coronavirus pandemic forced the closing of restaurants, schools and college cafeterias, causing commodity prices to fall off a cliff and serious disruptions to food supply chains. This $16 billion in aid will help keep food on Americans’ tables by providing a lifeline to farm families that were already hit by trade wars and severe weather,” Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall said. “The plan to purchase $3 billion in meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetables will help to stabilize markets and keep farms afloat so they can go about the business of feeding America. Farmers and ranchers proudly accept the responsibility of feeding this nation and it’s heartbreaking to be forced to dispose of milk and plow under crops of fresh food at a time when others are going hungry. We also appreciate the additional funding from other sources to help deliver food from farms to food banks.”