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AFBF asks lawmakers to help farmers in next coronavirus relief package

American Farm Bureau is asking Senate leaders to provide resources to farmers negatively impacted by the pandemic in the next coronavirus relief package.

AFBF President Zippy Duvall sent a letter to congressional leaders saying the economic losses across the US agriculture sector are broad-based, directly impacting farmers and ranchers and their supply chain partners.

AFBF says it commends ongoing work by lawmakers to assist those impacted by the pandemic, but farmers and ranchers will require further congressional action.

A list of priorities for more COVID-19 relief include extending relief funding for losses incurred after April 15, replenishing the Commodity Credit Corporation funding to $68 billion, providing aid to independent and contract poultry producers, opening Conservation Reserve Program acres for emergency haying and grazing, expanding eligibility and increasing funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, including H-2A workers in PPP, expediting implementation of the Broadband DATA Act, and more.

The Senate isn’t expected to consider another coronavirus relief bill until mid-July.

The House passed a $3 trillion coronavirus relief package in May, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the bill will be dead on arrival in the senate.