Farmers to Families hit 50-million boxes and Pandemic Ag Aid Down
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.**The USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box Program has now distributed over 50 million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by COVID-19.
Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue says he couldn’t be prouder of the great job done by the food box program staff and the many farmers, distributors and non-profits that helped get this program off the ground for the American people.
**When its coronavirus relief program went into operation, the USDA was sending $1 billion a week to farmers and ranchers.
According to agriculture.com, a relatively small $400 million was paid last week and $300 million the week before that, a pace so slow that there are questions whether the $16 billion earmarked for agriculture will be needed.
Some $6.5-billion has been disbursed since the USDA began accepting applications in late May, just over 40% of the money.
https://www.agriculture.com/news/business/pace-of-coronavirus-payments-to-farmers-slows-reasons-unclear
**Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue went on the offensive last week against the European Union's new plans to slash farmers' use of pesticides, fertilizer, antibiotics and medicated feed, calling the strategies dangerous to the profitability of farmer’s ability to be competitive in the global market.
Perdue tells agrimarketing.com, he's worried the strategies "will be extremely trade-prohibitive and jeopardize agricultural output and if he was an EU farmer, he'd be very concerned about this strategy and policies to follow.
https://www.agrimarketing.com/s/131746