CARES Act Directs $49 Billion to Agricultural Producers

From that total, the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture received $9.5 billion to roll out an array of food- and ag-related benefits. Funding includes relief for farmers affected by COVID-19 with an emphasis on specialty crop farmers and producers who supply local food systems, along with farmers markets, restaurants, and schools. Livestock producers and dairy farmers throughout the nation are likewise eligible for assistance. Beyond enhanced funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), child nutrition programs received an additional $8.8 billion to ensure that children and low-income families have access to food. The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), meanwhile, received a $14 billion replenishment for the 2020 fiscal year. The CCC, which dates to the Great Depression, stabilizes, supports, and protects farm income and prices while helping to maintain supplies of agricultural commodities.
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