U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue extended the deadline for farmers to apply for payments under the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) trade mitigation program.

 The original deadline was Jan. 15, but farmers have been unable to apply for the program since USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices closed Dec. 28 because of a lapse in government funding.

“We will extend the application deadline for a period of time equal to the number of business days FSA offices were closed once the government shutdown ends,” Perdue announced Jan. 8. “Farmers who have already applied for the program and certified their 2018 production have continued to receive payments.”

The final round of trade mitigation payments assists farmers suffering from financial damage due to unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations. MFP payments are currently available for the second half of 2018 production for certain commodities. 

Commodities and payment rates are

Cotton — 6 cents per pound
Corn — 1 cent per bushel
Dairy — 12 cents per hundredweight
Pork — $8 per head
Soybeans — $1.65 per bushel
Sorghum — 86 cents per bushel
Wheat – 14 cents per bushel

“This assistance will help with short-term cash flow issues as we move into the new year,” Perdue said.

The first round of payments began in September after Perdue announced President’s Trump directive for trade aid in July. Producers have until May 1 to certify their 2018 production.

Visit farmers.gov/mfp to learn more.