U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding pandemic relief assistance to include grass seed producers.
This follows a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing where Klobuchar secured a commitment from Robert F. Bonnie, nominee for the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm Production and Conservation at the USDA, to review eligibility requirements for coronavirus relief funds and work to deem grass seed as an eligible commodity.
“The coronavirus pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges for farmers across Minnesota,” said Klobuchar. “This relief will help ensure our grass seed producers have the resources they need to get through this challenging time. As the pandemic and historic drought conditions continue, I’ll keep pushing for policies to meet the needs of our rural communities.”
Grass seed producers who have experienced losses due to the pandemic are encouraged to contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) service center to submit an application for financial assistance.
