Making supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2020 for the Department of Agriculture to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and for other purposes.

Supported HR 6611 that would appropriate an additional $50 billion to the office of the secretary for producer relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and waives the payment limit caps and would raise the borrowing limit of the Commodity Credit Corporation from $30 billion to $50 billion. Supported both portions of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, both the food box distribution portion as well as the disaster type relief funding for producers. CFAP will use the funding and authorities provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), and other USDA existing authorities. The program includes two major elements to achieve these goals. Direct Support to Farmers and Ranchers: The program will provide $16 billion in direct support based on actual losses for agricultural producers where prices and market supply chains have been impacted and will assist producers with additional adjustment and marketing costs resulting from lost demand and short-term oversupply for the 2020 marketing year caused by COVID-19. USDA Purchase and Distribution: USDA will partner with regional and local distributors, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat. We will begin with the procurement of an estimated $100 million per month in fresh fruits and vegetables, $100 million per month in a variety of dairy products, and $100 million per month in meat products. The distributors and wholesalers will then provide a pre-approved box of fresh produce, dairy, and meat products to food banks, community and faith based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need. On top of these targeted programs USDA will utilize other available funding sources to purchase and distribute food to those in need. USDA has up to an additional $873.3 million available in Section 32 funding to purchase a variety of agricultural products for distribution to food banks. The use of these funds will be determined by industry requests, USDA agricultural market analysis, and food bank needs. The FFCRA and CARES Act provided an at least $850 million for food bank administrative costs and USDA food purchases, of which a minimum of $600 million will be designated for food purchases. The use of these funds will be determined by food bank need and product availability. Worked to ensure viable application and funding receipt success for Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, both the food box program and tradition disaster funding portion of the program. CFAP will use the funding and authorities provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), and other USDA existing authorities. The program includes two major elements to achieve these goals. Direct Support to Farmers and Ranchers: The program will provide $16 billion in direct support based on actual losses for agricultural producers where prices and market supply chains have been impacted and will assist producers with additional adjustment and marketing costs resulting from lost demand and short-term oversupply for the 2020 marketing year caused by COVID-19. USDA Purchase and Distribution: USDA will partner with regional and local distributors, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat. We will begin with the procurement of an estimated $100 million per month in fresh fruits and vegetables, $100 million per month in a variety of dairy products, and $100 million per month in meat products. The distributors and wholesalers will then provide a pre-approved box of fresh produce, dairy, and meat products to food banks, community and faith based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need. On top of these targeted programs USDA will utilize other available funding sources to purchase and distribute food to those in need. USDA has up to an additional $873.3 million available in Section 32 funding to purchase a variety of agricultural products for distribution to food banks. The use of these funds will be determined by industry requests, USDA agricultural market analysis, and food bank needs. The FFCRA and CARES Act provided an at least $850 million for food bank administrative costs and USDA food purchases, of which a minimum of $600 million will be designated for food purchases. The use of these funds will be determined by food bank need and product availability. Monitored HR 6800, HEROES ACT, specifically the agriculture provisions, which include: Livestock Section 60101. Ensures livestock producers are paid for their animals by requiring dealer trusts, for the benefit of all unpaid cash sellers of livestock. Section 60102. Provides emergency assistance to support livestock producers who are forced to euthanize marketready livestock due to local processing plant disruptions because of COVID19. Section 60103. Provides $300 million to support improved animal health surveillance and laboratories, some of which are performing COVID19 tests in this public health emergency. Dairy Section 60201. Establishes a direct dairy donation program to prevent dumped milk and facilitate rapid donations of displaced dairy products directly to feeding programs. Milk associated with donated products would be reimbursed at current Class I prices. Section 60202. Provides necessary cash flow assistance to small and midsized dairies that have grown over the last seven years by establishing supplemental margin coverage based on the difference between 2019 actual production and Dairy Margin Coverage production history. Section 60203. Authorizes an USDA recourse loan program for dairy processors, packagers, merchants, marketers, wholesalers, and distributors. Section 60204. Reduces the cost of Dairy Margin Coverage premiums for operations that commit to participating in the program for 20212023 by providing a payment worth 15% of annual premium costs. Specialty Crops and Other Commodities Section 60301. Provides $100 million in additional funding to address COVID19 specialty crop supply chain issues at the state level via Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Temporarily waives matching requirements for these additional funds. Section 60302. Provides $50 million in additional funding to support local farmers, farmers markets, and other local food outlets who are impacted by COVID19 market disruptions. Temporarily waives matching requirements for these additional funds. Section 60303. Provides $50 million to support beginning farmers and ranchers with financial, operational, and marketing advice in this difficult market. Temporarily waives matching requirements for these additional funds. Section 60304. Provides $28 million to be distributed as block grants to State departments of agriculture for use to support existing farm stress programs. Section 60305. Provides support for renewable fuels and cotton textile mills. Section 60306. Provides $16.5 billion for direct payments to agricultural producers. Commodity Credit Corporation Section 60401. Amends the CCC Charter Act to add authority for the Secretary to deal with the removal and disposal of livestock and poultry due to supply chain interruption during a public health emergency. Amends the CCC Charter Act to add authority to assist agricultural processing plants in the event of a public health emergency in order to assure the continuation of markets for agricultural commodities. Section 60402. Amends the CCC Charter Act to require Congressional notification before disbursement of CCC funding. Conservation Section 60501. Expands the Conservation Reserve Program Soil Health Incentive Pilot Program to 5 million acres. Nutrition Section 60602. Provides $25 million for Farm to Food Bank and makes program improvements for these additional funds. Section 60606. Increases the SNAP benefit level by 15%. Excludes the Pandemic Unemployment Compensation as countable income for SNAP benefit calculation. Increases the minimum SNAP benefit to $30 per month. Waives all work requirements for SNAP and prevents funding for USDA to implement or finalize the AbleBodied Adults Without Dependents, Broad Based Categorical Eligibility, and Standard Utility Allowance rules. Provides additional funding to States for SNAP administration this fiscal year, to meet the increased need for SNAP. Section 60607. Directs USDA to allow the use of SNAP to purchase hot foods or hot food products ready for immediate consumption from authorized retail food stores. Section 60608. Provides flexibility for SNAP Nutrition Education. Supported Senate legislation that would allow emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres during the COVID-19 health crisis. Under the current statute, emergency CRP haying and grazing is limited to weather-related disaster events. Allowing for emergency haying and grazing of CRP acres will help producers ensure adequate forage for the livestock they are having to keep longer than expected due to low prices and/or meat processing capacity shortfalls resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.