Rep. Schrier Pushes for Farm Assistance in Covid Relief Bill

Press Release

Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) helped pass additional assistance for small and mid-sized farmers out of the Agriculture Committee last night. The bill is expected to be voted on by the full House of Representatives later this month. Rep. Schrier emphasized the importance of getting funding to farmers to help pay for personal protective equipment and other COVID related expenses, and also the need to streamline the purchase of food from local farmers and ranchers, and its delivery to struggling food banks.

"One hardship has been that early aid was unequally distributed, with larger farms and corporations receiving the majority. Many specialty crop producers and smaller family-run operations have suffered tremendously under this pandemic or have gone out of business entirely," said Rep. Schrier. "So at a time when more people than ever were facing hunger, small and medium farms had nowhere to send their food! And at a time when our food supply chains were collapsing, local family farms were disappearing."

The COVID relief bill, which is based on President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan, contains several sections related to agriculture and food security programs including:

$3.6 billion in funding to purchase food and agriculture commodities for delivery to restaurants and food banks to distribute to individuals in need, as well as provide farms and farmworkers with PPE
$1 billion in support for community-based organizations and Land Grant Universities, including support for research, education, and extension
15% increase in SNAP benefits until Sept. 30, 2021, expanding funding and eligibility
The goals of two bills that Rep. Schrier introduced last year are met in this COVID relief bill. The Food and Farm Emergency Assistance Act establishes an emergency grant program to assist growers and producers in covering the significant costs incurred as a result of the pandemic, including those to keep themselves and their workers safe, like the purchase of PPE and other health equipment.

During the Committee meeting, Rep. Schrier encouraged the USDA to implement Food Supply Chain and Agriculture Pandemic Response funding in a way that allows state and local governments greater latitude to directly respond to these challenges.

Rep. Schrier continued, "This is very similar to a bill I introduced last Spring, the bipartisan and bicameral Farmers Feeding Families Coronavirus Response Act. This bill directs funding to states so state agencies and their food-bank partners can directly and immediately replenish their food stocks to meet the increased demand rather than wait several months to receive donations through a federally administered program. States like Washington have partners and systems in place to do just this. At this time of unprecedented need, let's support nimble systems that benefit our small and medium family farms and our hungry constituents."

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