(HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is urging farmers and producers to apply for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to provide vital financial assistance to absorb sales losses and increased marketing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. As of Monday, August 17, 2020, 100 applications for Connecticut producers have been approved totaling $6.88 million in payments.
USDA is accepting CFAP applications now through September 11, 2020. Producers should apply through the Farm Service Agency at their local USDA Service Center. Learn more at farmers.gov/cfap.
In response to comments and data received by the public, USDA announced on July 9 that it would make more than 40 additional specialty crop commodities eligible for the program. Nearly 60 additional commodities were announced on August 11, including additions to specialty crops and livestock along with the inclusion of nursery crops and cut flowers, aquaculture, and certain types of eggs.
In addition to these newly eligible commodities, USDA also expanded funding categories for several commodities and adjusted payment rates for others. A full list of these commodities, and their associated payment rates, can be found on our specialty crops, livestock, nursery and cut flowers, aquaculture, and eggs pages. These updates were made in two rounds, based on comments and data received from the public.
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) mission is to foster a healthy economic, environmental and social climate for agriculture by developing, promoting, and regulating agricultural businesses; protecting agricultural and aquacultural resources; enforcing laws pertaining to domestic animals; and promoting an understanding among the state's citizens of the diversity of Connecticut agriculture, its cultural heritage, and its contribution to the state's economy. For more information, visit www.CTGrown.gov
