Press Releases
USDA Announces Relief for Poultry Growers After Womack Request
Washington,
June 15, 2021
Washington, DC—June 15, 2021...Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3), co-chair of the House Chicken Caucus, released the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) notice of long-awaited pandemic aid to agriculture producers, including poultry contract growers. The announcement comes after Congressman Womack led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the USDA requesting the contract grower direct payments rulemaking process to be completed as quickly as possible: “Arkansas poultry growers help feed Americans and are a vital part of our food supply. The pandemic severely impacted the work of our family farmers and agriculture producers. Assistance was necessary to navigate challenges and financial losses faced. Livelihoods are on the line, and the delays in delivering these payments created more uncertainty. I’m pleased USDA recognized our concerns, and I will continue advocating for our nation’s farmers.” Background: Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which included authorization and funding for USDA to provide direct payments for contract poultry growers, who previously had been excluded from assistance provided by the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Though passed in December 2020, the aid to contract growers has still not been allocated. Given the impact on agriculture producers, Womack made it a priority to advocate for the process to be expedited. Many contract poultry growers suffered substantial losses when processing facilities were forced to reduce or suspend production during the pandemic, threatening many smaller and family-owned farms. Implementation of the assistance USDA announced today will begin within 60 days to include support to timber harvesters, biofuels, dairy farmers and processors, livestock farmers and contract growers of poultry, assistance for organic cost share, and grants for PPE. Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee. ### |