1/8: ATTN FARMERS AND RANCHERS: USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) is now open. It’s intended to provide payments to producers affected by #COVID19. The good news? $ is available. The bad news? The program has issues that will affect who can access aid $. [THREAD]

2/8: The program is open to livestock, dairy, specialty crop, and non-specialty crop growers - but not all crops/animals. Romaine lettuce? You’re in! Kale? Not eligible. Cattle? Yes. Poultry? No. Find the full list of eligible crops and livestock here: https://www.farmers.gov/cfap 

3/8: How can a farmer decide if this program is a fit for them? If you do dairy, livestock, or row crops - it’s pretty easy. If you’re diversified and have a variety of fruits and veggies? It’s gonna take some work. Where to start? Read our analysis here: https://bit.ly/3c6CTwS 

4/8: USDA developed a calculator tool too - it’s the fastest way for farmers and ranchers to estimate what payment they might be eligible for. Heads up: payments are all based on wholesale prices, not a farmer's actual market price. Find it here: https://www.farmers.gov/cfap 

5/8: Our take: unfortunately, CFAP has issues. It’s not set up to serve all farmers experiencing impacts equitably. It’ll be especially tough for diversified farms and farmers selling into local/regional markets. But it WILL help some who face impacts.

6/8: In addition, there are no set-asides or targeted funds for producers historically underserved by USDA, and we’re already hearing reports of language access challenges in the field. We want to hear from you if you’re having issues.

7/8: Timeline: Application deadline is August 28, 2020, though funding is first come, first served. It could go quickly due to payment limits that will advantage larger operations. Considering applying? DON’T WAIT to get the process started.

8/8: Where can I get more info? We’ll be updating our CFAP 101 page daily with resources and info. Start here: https://bit.ly/cfap101  Coming soon - more resources from NSAC members and partners. Keep checking back!