Tom Vilsack was sworn in as USDA Secretary for the second time at the end of February. Since then, he has pushed forward advances on the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), climate and mitigation policies and equity in USDA programs. He’s also provided glimpses of ag priorities in an infrastructure package.
 
CFAP - Checks for $20-per-acre payments for price-trigger crops will go out in April. The payments are part of the third round of CFAP.
 
Vilsack’s USDA is renaming a portion of the CFAP program to Pandemic Assistance for Producers. The newly named program will use $6 billion in unspent CFAP and other funds to fill gaps for sectors of agriculture that were left out of earlier CFAP programs.
 
Biofuels, Vilsack has mentioned repeatedly, is a sector that needs additional assistance. Other items included in the new program include the Dairy Donation Program, funds for euthanization of livestock, specialty crops, timber harvesting and hauling and personal protective equipment for food and farm workers.
 
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