AreaUnited States of America
Commodity GroupOilseeds, oils and meals
CommodityAgricultural products
Date01/01/2021
Policy CategoryProduction
Policy InstrumentCOVID-19 measures
DescriptionImplemented new measures to assist farmers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Debt relief measures: suspended debt collections, foreclosures and other activities on farm loans for distressed borrowers. Production support: after identifying gaps in previous aid programmes, redesigned several aid programmes with a view to distributing resources more equitably and placing greater emphasis on small and socially disadvantaged producers and on support for food supply chains and producers of renewable fuel. Economic stimulus bill: launched a comprehensive rescue plan, including programmes to reduce hunger across the country, strengthen the countrys food supply chains, foster rural investments, and provide support to underserved, socially disadvantaged farmers.
NotesUNITED STATES OF AMERICA COVID-19-related measures: Debt relief: In January, USDA temporarily suspended debt collections, foreclosures and other activities on farm loans for distressed borrowers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some 12 000 farmers who borrowed money under USDAs Farm Storage Facility Loan and Direct Farm Loan programmes were expected to benefit from the measure. Production support: In March, after identifying gaps in previous aid programmes, USDA presented its Pandemic Assistance for Producers package. Worth USD 6.5 billion, the new scheme is aimed at distributing resources more equitably. Under the package, USDA will open programme sign-up to a larger share of agricultural producers. Several new programmes will place greater emphasis on outreach to small and socially disadvantaged producers and on support for food supply chains and producers of renewable fuel, among others. Existing schemes like the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) will fall within the new package and will be refined to better address the needs of farmers. Economic stimulus bill: The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 entered into force in March. Agricultural provisions of the plan allocate an estimated USD 10.4 billion for programmes designed i) reduce hunger across the country, ii) strengthen the countrys food supply chains, iii) invest in rural America, and iv) provide support to underserved, socially disadvantaged farmers.
