USDA is accepting applications now through August 28, 2020.

The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) provides financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline or who had losses due to market supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19 and face additional significant market costs.

Visit USDA’s Farmers.gov to view the list of eligible commodities.

How to Apply

Producers should apply through their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) Service Center. While USDA Service Centers are open for business by phone appointment only, FSA is working with agricultural producers by phone and using email and online tools to process applications. Please call your FSA county office to schedule an appointment.

Click here to find your closest Service Center.

Applications can be submitted electronically either by scanning, emailing, or faxing. Please call your office prior to sending applications electronically. 

A CFAP Call Center is available for producers who would like additional one-on-one support with the CFAP application process. Please call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance.

CFAP Application

A CFAP Payment Calculator is available to assist with the CFAP application process. This Excel workbook allows you to input information specific to your operation to determine estimated payments and populate the application form.

Producers who are interested in filling out the application manually can also download the application form.

Click here to review a list of additional materials that may be needed.

FSA has streamlined the signup process to not require an acreage report at the time of application and a USDA farm number may not be immediately needed.

Click here to view a video demonstration of how to use the CFAP Payment Calculator.

CFAP Eligibility

To be eligible for payments, a person or legal entity must have an average adjusted gross income of less than $900,000 for tax years 2016, 2017, and 2018. However, if 75 percent of their adjusted gross income comes from farming, ranching, or forestry, the AGI limit of $900,000 does not apply.

Persons and legal entities also must comply with the provisions of the “Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation” regulations, often called the conservation compliance provisions.

CFAP Payment Limitations

CFAP payments are subject to a per person and legal entity payment limitation of $250,000. This limitation applies to the total amount of CFAP payments made with respect to all eligible commodities.

Unlike other FSA programs, special payment limitation rules will be applied to participants that are corporations, limited liability companies, and limited partnerships (corporate entities). These corporate entities may receive up to $750,000 based upon the number of shareholders (not to exceed three shareholders) who contribute at least 400 hours of active person management or personal active labor.  

For a corporate entity:

• With one such shareholder the payment limit for the entity is $250,000;
• With two such shareholders, the payment limit for the entity is $500,000 if at least two members contribute substantial labor or management with respect to the operation of the corporate entity; and
• With three such shareholders, the limit is $750,000 if at least three members contribute substantial labor or management with respect to the operation of the corporate entity.

CFAP Payment Structure

To ensure the availability of funding throughout the application period, producers will receive 80 percent of their maximum total payment upon approval of the application. The remaining portion of the payment, not to exceed the payment limit, will be paid at a later date as funds remain available.