STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi producers affected financially by the COVID-19 pandemic can now access a guide on applying for monetary relief through a new federal program.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service has released a publication that breaks down the specifics of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program -- or CFAP -- for row crop, livestock, and dairy producers. On May 19, The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the program, which will provide up to $16 billion to eligible agricultural producers from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Stability Act and the Commodity Credit Corporation.

The publication also outlines the CFAP application process, eligible commodities and payment rates. One requirement is that a commodity must have suffered at least a 5% price decline due to COVID-19 between mid-January and mid-April or faced marketing costs for inventory due to decreased demand, surplus production and disruptions to shipping patterns.

Other commodities including specialty crops may also be eligible for CFAP. Additional details can be found at https://www.farmers.gov/cfap.

The USDA Farm Service Agency will begin accepting applications on May 26 at local FSA offices. FSA will also be working with producers to process applications by phone and using email and online tools. Applications will be accepted until August 28.

Extension Publication 3459, “Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) for Row Crops, Livestock and Dairy Overview,” is available online at https://bit.ly/3eiEql5.