OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Letter to the Hon. Donald J. Trump, President of the United States - Congressman Costa Leads 126 Members in Calling on President to Ensure Direct Relief to Farmers and Producers in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

Letter

By: Anthony Brindisi, Elise Stefanik, Lee Zeldin, Ben Lujan, Jr., Xochitl Torres Small, Deb Haaland, Tom Malinowski, Adrian Smith, Donald Bacon, Ted Budd, Richard Hudson, Jr., David Rouzer, Greg Gianforte, Steven Palazzo, Michael Guest, Trent Kelly, Jason Smith, Billy Long, Sam Graves, Emanuel Cleaver II, Vicky Hartzler, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Peter Stauber, Tom Emmer, Jim Hagedorn, Debbie Dingell, Paul Mitchell, Elissa Slotkin, Tim Walberg, Fred Upton, Dan Kildee, John Moolenaar, Bill Huizenga, Ron Estes, Steven Watkins, Jr., Roger Marshall, Darin LaHood, John Shimkus, Rodney Davis, Mike Bost, Mike Simpson, Russ Fulcher, Cindy Axne, Dave Loebsack, Abby Finkenauer, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Mario Diaz-Balart, Ted Deutch, Alcee Hastings, Sr., Greg Steube, Ross Spano, Charlie Crist, Jr., Gus Bilirakis, Val Demings, Darren Soto, Bill Posey, Stephanie Murphy, Al Lawson, Jr., John Rutherford, Ted Yoho, Neal Dunn, Jahana Hayes, Joe Courtney, Scott Tipton, Liz Cheney, Mike Gallagher, Kim Schrier, Cathy Rodgers, Dan Newhouse, Jaime Herrera Beutler, Rick Larsen, Suzan DelBene, Filemon Vela, Jr., John Carter, Henry Cuellar, Roger Williams, Will Hurd, Jodey Arrington, Bill Flores, Vicente Gonzalez, Randy Weber, Sr., Mac Thornberry, Michael McCaul, Ron Wright, Louie Gohmert, Chuck Fleischmann, Dusty Johnson, Lloyd Smucker, Dan Meuser, Susan Wild, Brian Fitzpatrick, Kurt Schrader, Greg Walden, Kendra Horn, Anthony Gonzalez, Troy Balderson, Bob Gibbs, John Katko, Scott Peters, Juan Vargas, Raul Ruiz, Pete Aguilar, Julia Brownley, Salud Carbajal, Devin Nunes, T.J. Cox, Jimmy Panetta, Eric Swalwell, Josh Harder, Jerry McNerney, Ami Bera, Mike Thompson, John Garamendi, Jared Huffman, Doug LaMalfa, Greg Stanton, Paul Gosar, Tom O'Halleran, Robert Aderholt, Mike Rogers, Martha Roby, Bradley Byrne, Jim Costa
Date: April 23, 2020
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security Agriculture and Food Health and Health Care

Dear President Trump,

Thank you for your announcement of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). For many family agricultural operations, this support will mean they are able to stay in business and pass farms and ranches on to the next generation of producers in spite of these challenging times.

However, we are concerned about the $125,000 per commodity and $250,000 per individual or entity payment limits as it relates to assistance for the livestock, dairy and specialty crop sectors. This limitation would severely restrict the program's effectiveness for many family-owned farms and ranches across the nation. We strongly urge you to eliminate payment limits for livestock, dairy and specialty crop producers before the final CFAP program details are announced.

The COVID-19 crisis has caused unprecedented damage to the livestock, dairy and specialty crop industries. Agricultural economists have estimated over $13 billion in harm to the cattle industry and $5 billion to the pork industry due to the pandemic, with many billions more in injury to dairies, fruit, nut, and vegetable producers, and the horticulture and floriculture industry. As is true for many other small businesses across the country, this financial harm comes through no fault of these farmers and ranchers, nor is it the result of typical market forces. As such, these relief payments should aim to indemnify as much loss as possible without restrictive payment limitations.

While some farmers and ranchers produce multiple commodities, and therefore will be eligible for up to the $250,000 total payment limit per individual or entity, many cattle, pork and dairy operations are solely invested in livestock. This common business practice within the cattle, pork and dairy industries of being invested in a single commodity means this payment limit structure will be even more severe for these producers compared to other commodities. Fruit and vegetable producers by comparison can have very high costs of production--strawberry producers can invest $30,000 an acre for example--and thus payment limits of this level are too restrictive to meaningfully address the losses many producers are facing.

It is critical for USDA to provide a level of support that is responsive to the disaster situation producers are currently facing. As you know, Congress approved $14 billion in the CARES Act to partially replenish the Commodity Credit Corporation and we believe that a significant portion of these dollars should be used to ensure that needs are met, even if the payments must be paid in tranches.

We appreciate the support you and Secretary Perdue have provided farmers and ranchers, and we look forward to working with you make certain agricultural producers receive the level of assistance necessary in response to COVID-19.


Source
arrow_upward