Minnesota 1st District Rep. Jim Hagedorn initiated a video call Thursday with FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux in which they discussed the USDA’s apparent intention to cancel long-scheduled “top up” Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments to pork producers.
Said Hagedorn in a press release after the call: “USDA’s refusal to provide needed assistance to American pork producers is completely unacceptable. These ‘top up’ payments were long ago appropriated and have been promised to pork producers since January. The Biden Administration’s freeze on CFAP payments has shortchanged southern Minnesota’s pork producers, including independent family farmers who were promised help and desperately need assistance. Hagedorn noted that in January, the Trump Administration finalized a rule authorizing $17/head in additional CFAP assistance for swine producers based off of inventory held from April 16-May 14, 2020. In August, Hagedorn and Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra sent a letter to FSA Administrator Ducheneaux urging him to process the top up payments immediately.
