CFAP 2 Deadline Quickly Approaching

In September, USDA announced it would provide an additional $14 billion dollars for agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19 via the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2). Through this program, almond growers may apply for assistance funding based on their sales in 2019.

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) began accepting CFAP 2 applications on September 21, and the deadline for submitting applications is December 11, less than a month away. The Almond Board of California (ABC) strongly encourages eligible growers who have not yet applied to contact FSA to begin the application process. It is important to note that participating in the CFAP 1 program does not exclude a grower from participating in CFAP 2.

In October, the Almond Board, the Almond Alliance of California, and FSA held a webinar for growers during which FSA explained the application process and addressed growers’ questions.  The webinar was recorded and can be viewed here on ABC’s YouTube channel. The Almond Board also created a fact sheet that explains CFAP 2 and addresses many common questions about the program posed by industry members, in addition to listing local FSA offices. More information on CFAP 2 may be found at farmers.gov/cfap, as well.

Growers seeking one-on-one support during the CFAP 2 application process can call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer general assistance. This is a USDA-recommended first step before a grower engages the team at a local FSA county office.