News

Market Facilitation Program details expected 1st week of September

USDA leadership expects more details on the Market Facilitation Program to be announced the week of Labor Day.

Farm Service Agency Administrator Richard Fordyce tells Brownfield his staff will be helping farmers sign up for what he expects to be a short-term trade relief aid program.  “I think it’s going to be for a period of time, I think that chapter’s still to be written.  I guess we’ll have to see how negotiations go.”  He says FSA is in the process of hiring several hundred positions across the country to fill staff shortages and help carry out new programs.

Undersecretary for Farm Production & Conservation Bill Northey tells Brownfield USDA’s Market Facilitation program will incorporate efforts to make programs more streamlined for farmers.  “We’re going to look to do it in a way that reduces the amount of information that a producer needs to provide, makes it as clear and straightforward as can be, and certainly makes it easy for our offices.”

During a field day in Michigan yesterday, Northey told farmers he expects the direct payment portion of the $12 billion program to be largest part. Northey says crops that have been the most impacted by trade retaliation like soybeans should be receiving a larger pool of funding.

AUDIO: Interview with Administrator Richard Fordyce

AUDIO: Interivew with Undersecretary Bill Northey