Federal Assistance for Contract Poultry Growers

Contract poultry growers have until Oct. 12 to sign up for aid under the second Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, or CFAP2.

Up to $1 billion has been allocated through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 to provide CFAP 2 payments to contract growers across the nation.

The payments are designed to assist with major disruptions to the poultry sector due to the ongoing pandemic.

COVID was responsible to major slowdowns and labor disruptions due to illness and quarantines, affecting processing operations and the entire supply chain. For growers, the effect of this situation was, in many cases, a reduction in birds delivered and, as a result, lower revenue. The impacts on individual grower operations were potentially severe.

The expanded eligibility for CFAP2 includes not only contract broiler growers but also contract growers of other poultry such as pullets, layers, eggs, turkeys, ducks, geese, and pheasants and quail. It also includes contract growers of hogs and pigs.

The inclusion of contract growers was unprecedented until last month’s announcement. The inclusion of contract growers is the culmination of several months of work by USDA to redefine program eligibility requirements to include contract growers. Contract growers haven’t “historically been directly eligible for most forms of federal assistance because they do not own the animals they raise.”

USDA announced eligibility for contract growers on Aug. 24.

Growers can sign up by completing an application at their local Farm Service Agency office. For more information on who to call based on what county you live in, visit our website at SouthwestArkansasRadio.com

Howard Countyresidents can call the Nashville-based Farm Service Agency office at (870) 845-1030.

Sevier County can call 584-3111.
In Little River call (870) 898-3373.