WASHINGTON — The USDA has extended the deadline for farmers to certify 2018 crop production for payments through the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) to May 17. The deadline was originally May 1.
The program helps producers who have been significantly affected by foreign tariffs, resulting in the loss of traditional exports.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) extended the deadline because heavy rainfall and snowfall have delayed harvests in many parts of the country, preventing producers from certifying acres. Payments will be issued only if eligible producers certify before the updated May 17 deadline.
The MFP provides payments to producers of corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, dairy, hogs, fresh sweet cherries and shelled almonds. FSA will issue payments based on the producer’s certified total production of the MFP commodity multiplied by the MFP rate for that specific commodity.
Producers can certify production by contacting their local FSA office or through farmers.gov.
To date, more than $8.3 billion has been paid to nearly 600,000 applicants.
