America’s contract swine growers must receive the federal pandemic relief funds they were promised, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and her colleagues wrote in a bipartisan Aug. 9 letter sent to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack.
The USDA on June 15 announced additional aid to agricultural producers and businesses as part of its Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative but neglected to mention assistance for contract swine growers, according to the senators’ letter.
“Our livestock and poultry contract growers have been waiting patiently for USDA to provide financial relief that so many desperately need,” wrote Sen. Ernst and U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Tina Smith (D-MN). “We’re concerned that USDA’s announcement on June 15… only focused on poultry growers and made no mention of providing assistance to contract swine growers.”
Livestock producers and contract growers in their home states continue to face financial issues related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the senators wrote, adding that it is crucial they receive federal assistance provided for under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, the public law requiring USDA to make such payments to contract growers to cover revenue losses.
Sen. Ernst and her colleagues urged Secretary Vilsack “to use all USDA resources at your disposal to make contract swine growers eligible for this emergency assistance provided by Congress, and ensure that they are fully aware of their eligibility.”
Additionally, the lawmakers noted that many of the nation’s pork producers have been waiting for USDA to roll out the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program “swine top-up payments” announced in January.
“We realize that as administration transitions occur, agencies need time to evaluate programs,” Sen. Ernst and her colleagues wrote. “However, over the past eight months, USDA has given no indication as to how it plans to put these funds to use.
“Our producers are still feeling the economic hardships of the pandemic and look forward to USDA carrying out this program,” they wrote.