STORY BY DON WICK OF THE RED RIVER FARM NETWORK
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed Farm Bureau delegates this morning, using the opportunity to announce several initiatives. That includes Phase II of the Emergency Relief Program. Vilsack said additional flexibility will be granted.
“For those who received a decrease of income in 2020 and 2021, we’re giving them an option of choosing either 2018 or 2019 to benchmark the extent of loss,” Secretary Tom Vilsack explained. “We’ll be publishing a tool making it easier for individuals to determine the extent of relief under this Phase II program of the Emergency Relief Program. We’re also, as a companion, announcing a new pandemic assistance revenue program for producers who experienced a 15% or greater decrease in gross revenue in 2020 compared to 2018 or 2019.”
More than $12 million is also being invested to expand independent meat and poultry processing capacity. In addition to the 22 projects that were funded recently, Vilsack announced three more projects, including one from northwest Minnesota. “We’re going to provide resources to Benson and Turner Foods Inc., a hog and beef processing facility in Minnesota associated with the White Earth Indian Reservation, to provide new opportunities as well,” Tom Vilsack explained. “Each of these projects, as well as the other 22 projects and more projects to come over the course of the next several months. Will provide additional competition for farm bureau members, additional values and added opportunity for producers, and more jobs in rural communities.”
Vilsack also announced the first round of funding for the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program. Twenty-one projects were announced, including Northstar Lime of Crookston. This project, which is subject to public comment, will create biochar from biomass.
