Action Alert - 5/20/20

此警告已于五月五日透过电邮发送给GFB立法小组行动警告的订户, 2020.

White House & USDA Provide Details for Direct Payments Through Coronavirus Food Assistance Programs

On May 19, 2020, 特朗普总统和美国农业部部长桑尼·珀杜提供了冠状病毒食品援助计划(CFAP)的细节。, 将向受COVID-19危机影响的农民提供大约160亿美元的直接支付. These payments are in addition to USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box program, through which USDA is purchasing $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat for distribution to Americans in need. Below you will find information from a USDA press release outlining eligible commodities, payment structures and limitations, application instructions, and more.

You are encouraged to review the program details and also visit farmers.gov, 在5月26日注册开始时，您将在哪里找到需要填写并提交给您当地FSA办事处的几份表格. 美国农业部预计，付款将在注册开放后7至10天开始发放给生产商, and the sign up period will run through August 28, 2020.

Additionally, last Friday evening, 小企业管理局(SBA)发布了工资保护计划参与者的贷款减免申请. More information, including the form and detailed instructions, can be found below.

As always, 如有任何问题，请随时联系乔治亚州农场局公共政策部.

USDA: FARMERS AND RANCHERS TO RECEIVE DIRECT SUPPORT FOR LOSSES RELATED TO COVID-19

Beginning May 26, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), will be accepting applications from agricultural producers who have suffered losses.

Background

该计划为农产品生产者提供重要的财政援助，这些生产者因COVID-19而遭受5%或以上的价格下跌，并因需求下降而面临额外的巨额营销成本, surplus production, and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities.

Farmers and ranchers will receive direct support, drawn from two possible funding sources. The first source of funding is $9.5 billion in appropriated funding provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, 《十大靠谱网赌官方平台》，以补偿农民在2020年1月中旬之间因价格下跌而遭受的损失, 2020年4月中旬，并为在同一时期从农场运出但随后因失去营销渠道而变质的产品的特种作物提供支持. 第二种资金来源是使用商品信贷公司宪章法来补偿生产者6美元.5 billion in losses due to on-going market disruptions.

Non-Specialty Crops and Wool

Non-specialty crops eligible for CFAP payments include malting barley, canola, corn, upland cotton, millet, oats, soybeans, sorghum, sunflowers, durum wheat, and hard red spring wheat. Wool is also eligible. 生产商将根据截至2020年1月15日的库存支付价格风险. 这笔款项将根据生产商2019年总产量或截至1月15日的2019年库存的50%支付, 2020, whichever is smaller, multiplied by the commodity’s applicable payment rates.

Livestock

Livestock eligible for CFAP include cattle, lambs, yearlings and hogs. 从1月15日开始到4月15日为止，将按畜产商出售的家畜数量计算总金额, 2020, multiplied by the payment rates per head, and the highest inventory number of livestock between April 16 and May 14, 2020, multiplied by the payment rate per head.

Dairy

For dairy, 支付总额将根据生产商对2020年第一季度牛奶生产的认证乘以同一季度全国价格降幅计算. 第二部分的支付是基于对每个生产商第一季度产量的全国调整.

Specialty Crops

For eligible specialty crops, 付款总额将根据1月15日至4月15日期间销售的产品数量计算, 2020; the volume of production shipped, but unpaid; and the number of acres for which harvested production did not leave the farm or mature product destroyed or not harvested during that same time period, and which have not and will not be sold. Specialty crops include, but are not limited to, almonds, beans, broccoli, sweet corn, lemons, iceberg lettuce, spinach, squash, strawberries and tomatoes. A full list of eligible crops can be found on farmers.gov/cfap. Additional crops may be deemed eligible at a later date.

Eligibility

对于所有商品，每个人或实体的付款限额为250,000美元. Applicants who are corporations, 有限责任公司或有限合伙企业的成员积极提供个人劳动力或个人管理的农场经营可能有资格获得额外的支付限制. 制片人还必须证明他们符合900美元的调整后总收入限制,000 unless at least 75 percent or more of their income is derived from farming, ranching or forestry-related activities. 生产者还必须遵守高度易侵蚀土地和湿地保护规定.

Applying for Assistance

Producers can apply for assistance beginning on May 26, 2020. Additional information and application forms can be found at farmers.gov/cfap. Producers of all eligible commodities will apply through their local FSA office. Documentation to support the producer’s application and certification may be requested. FSA已经简化了注册过程，在申请时不需要面积报告，美国农业部的农场编号可能不会立即需要. Applications will be accepted through August 28, 2020.

Payment Structure

To ensure the availability of funding throughout the application period, 一旦申请获得批准，生产商将获得最高总金额的80%. The remaining portion of the payment, not to exceed the payment limit, will be paid at a later date as funds remain available.

USDA Service Centers are open for business by phone appointment only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 或任何其他服务中心机构需要致电其服务中心安排电话预约. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

SBA RELEASES LOAN FORGIVENESS APPLICATION FOR PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM

This past Friday evening, 小企业管理局(SBA)发布了工资保护计划(PPP)贷款减免申请表. The form and detailed instructions can be found here.

参与公私合作伙伴关系的人士需要填写此表格，并将其提交给贷款人，以确定可免除的贷款金额. 填写和提交豁免申请表的义务由PPP参与者承担, not the lending institution. 如果没有收到贷款减免申请，参与者收到的全部PPP金额将继续被视为贷款. The SBA will be releasing additional guidance to assist borrowers complete the form. Borrowers will be able to begin submitting this application in mid-June.

According to the SBA, the form and instructions include:

借款人可以选择使用与借款人正常工资周期相一致的“替代工资覆盖期”来计算工资成本;
灵活地包括在收到PPP贷款后的八周内支付或发生的符合条件的工资和非工资费用;
关于如何执行《十大靠谱网赌官方平台》要求的计算以确认贷款减免资格的逐步说明;
Borrower-friendly implementation of statutory exemptions from loan forgiveness reduction based on rehiring by June 30; and
增加一项新的贷款减免减免豁免，适用于已作出诚信承诺的借款人, written offer to rehire workers that was declined.

Farmers should consult with their accountant, 税务编制和/或财务顾问关于PPP贷款减免申请表，以确保所有适当的文件已完成.

Public Policy Department Staff
Jeffrey Harvey, Director
Joe McManus, Assistant Director
Alex Bradford, State Affairs Coordinator
Raynor Churchwell, Agricultural Programs Specialist
Tripp Cofield, National Policy Counsel
Katie Duvall, Advocacy and Policy Development Coordinator
Renee Jones, Office Coordinator
Jeremy Taylor, Agricultural Programs Specialist