USDA said it will grant new pandemic relief aid for producers, including support for dairy farmers, poultry and livestock producers, and producers transitioning to organic, among other groups.

The department in March announced $6 billion in available funds through its Pandemic Assistance program, and it now says it will begin distributing much of this aid in the next two months, including:

$400 million toward the new Dairy Donation Program, meant to address food insecurity.
Roughly $580 million toward the Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage for small and medium farms.
Additional pandemic payments targeted to dairy farmers who have demonstrated losses that haven’t been covered by previous pandemic assistance.
Assistance for contract poultry growers left out of previous rounds of pandemic assistance.
Assistance for livestock and poultry producers forced to euthanize animals during the pandemic (between March 1, 2020 and December 26, 2020).
Up to $20 million in additional organic cost share assistance, including for producers who are transitioning to organic.

“USDA is honoring its commitment to get financial assistance to producers and critical agricultural businesses, especially those left out or underserved by previous COVID aid,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “These investments through USDA Pandemic Assistance will help our food, agriculture and forestry sectors get back on track and plan for the future.”

USDA announces new pandemic relief for producers