CAWG Applauds USDA for Including All Classes of Wheat in CFAP 2

Fort Collins, Colo. – The Colorado Association of Wheat Growers (CAWG) applauds the United States Department of Agriculture for providing assistance to farmers economically impacted by COVID-19 through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2).

“The announcement of CFAP 2 is welcomed news after Colorado’s wheat farmers have faced not only a year of decreased market prices due to Coronavirus, but also extreme drought and damage from the Wheat Stem Sawfly,” said Brian Brooks, CAWG President and Walsh, Colo. wheat farmer.  

The announcement was made on September 18, 2020 and could potentially inject $28.5 million* into the Colorado wheat economy. (*This based on USDA NASS’s estimated 1.9 million planted acres in Colorado in fall 2019 (2020 crop year) and if all Colorado wheat farmers were to sign up and receive payment.)

CAWG, along with the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG), advocated since April 2020 for all classes of wheat to be included.  U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), as well as U.S. Representative Ken Buck (R-Colo.),  also provided key support in this effort by joining other colleagues in sending letters to USDA Secretary Perdue making this request. The first round of payments only included hard red spring and durum wheat classes, which covered roughly 30% of wheat growers in the United States.

The application period for CFAP 2 opened on September 21, 2020 and will run through December 11, 2020. Farmers can visit www.farmers.gov/cfap/apply or contact their county FSA office to sign up for the program.

USDA’s press release announcing the program can be found here. NAWG’s press release on the announcement can be found here. Additional details about assistance for row crops can be found here. NAWG also put together fact sheet on the program. Please note this fact sheet may be subject to updates.

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