Agriculture anxious to see what final COVID aid package looks like

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Agriculture anxious to see what final COVID aid package looks like

Farmers and ag groups are anxious to see what the next round of COVID aid will look like.

Minnesota Pork Producers Association CEO David Preisler describes the Senate proposal as a framework.

“It appears that there will be about $20 billion that will go towards agriculture within their version. We don’t have a lot of details on it yet, that’s still being fleshed out. Then we’ll have to see how the conference committee works between the House and Senate with their respective proposals.”

He is pleased both the Senate HEALS Act and the HEROES Act which passed in the House several months ago contain direct assistance for pork producers who have had to euthanize healthy animals because of processing plant slowdowns.

“So i think there’s certainly the possibility there. But you know the biggest difference is just the total cost of each bill. You’re talking a $3 trillion bill with the House version and about a $1 trillion bill with the Senate.”

Preisler is concerned with the cost so far apart, a bill that makes it to the President’s desk will result in winners and losers on the farm.

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