Cooperative Extension: Agriculture

Paycheck Protection Program Overview Now Online Reminder that the application deadline for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is March 31. The UMass Extension Risk Management Education Program conducted a Zoom Meeting on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) on Tuesday, February 23, 2021. The meeting was intended for agricultural producers who did not participate in the PPP during […]

CFAP-2 USDA Offers Additional Assistance On January 15, 2021, The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it will provide additional assistance through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), expanding eligibility for some agricultural producers and commodities as well as updating payments to accurately compensate some producers who have already applied for the program. Producers who […]

USDA Announces Expansion and Improvements to Hemp Crop Insurance   The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today (Nov. 30th) it is expanding the pilot Multi-Peril Crop Insurance Plan for hemp. The expansion, as well as other improvements to the plan, will begin in the 2021 crop year. Improvements include: Sales closing, cancellation, production reporting and […]

University of Maine Extension Offers Forage and Crop Insurance Webinar for Livestock Owners (Dec. 9) University of Maine Cooperative Extension will offer two opportunities for livestock owners to get updates on forage resources and crop insurance, starting at 10 a.m and again at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 9, 2020. The Webinar, “Got Livestock, Need […]

USDA Introduces Enhanced Coverage Option Crop Insurance Product The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency announced that a new Federal Crop Insurance product, the Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO), will be available for 31 spring-planted crops for the 2021 crop year and is expected to be available for additional crops starting in the 2022 crop […]

CFAP-2 Explanatory Webinar Now Posted Online Last week, on 11/4/2020, there was a University of Massachusetts Extension Zoom Meeting in cooperation with the Massachusetts Farm Bureau and the USDA Farm Service Agency. The primary topic was CFAP 2. They also provided some information on risk management programs that have upcoming deadlines. Deadline to enroll in CFAP 2 […]

November 6, 2020: “CFAP 2:” The USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, Part 2. What Specialty Crop Producers Should Know Join Farm Credit East and the US Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency on Friday, November 6, at 11 a.m., for a discussion of CFAP 2 focused on specialty crop producers, including floriculture and nursery crops, […]

Apiculture Insurance Deadline – November 15! The deadline to apply for Apiculture Crop Insurance is November 15, 2020. For more information about the program, please go to the USDA’s Apiculture Site. For questions regarding the above information, please contact our Crop Insurance Education Program Manager: Chris Howard at: christina.howard@maine.edu or at 207.570.2868   USDA and the […]

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) Producers who have experienced market difficulties and increased expenses due to the Covid-19 pandemic may be eligible for the new USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2). This program is completely distinct from the previous assistance program, so even if you were signed up for CFAP 1, you […]

PRF Insurance Comment Period OPEN FOR 2 MORE WEEKS ONLY: Here is the link to a USDA news release about a public comment period on Pasture, Rangeland and Forage Insurance.  The comment period is open until November 5, 2020.  Comments can be submitted via email to rma.kcviri@usda.gov or by mail to Director, Product Administration and Standards Division, Risk Management […]