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NFU pleased covid relief is on the way, but says more must be done
National Farmers Union is pleased Congress has passed a coronavirus relief bill to help Americans get through the economic strains caused by the pandemic.
Mike Stranz, vice president of advocacy, says NFU has urged legislators to provide additional assistance since the passage of the first coronavirus relief package in March.
“NFU has been working to ensure that both farmers get the assistance they need and all Americans get the assistance they need,” he says.
He says they are encouraged by initial agricultural details in the bill.
“The Paycheck Protection Act and access to second draw loans for so many small businesses will be helpful to bridge this gap,” he says.
He says this stimulus package will also help spread out some of the assistance to farmers who were passed over by eligibility rules in the first relief package.
Despite these strides, Stranz says the bill falls short in some areas.
“We still need to see how this plays out but the programs oftentimes don’t reflect the actual losses suffered by farmers, especially for specialty crops or unique marketing arrangements where the cost paid by the consumer isn’t necessary reflected or known through any large-scale research,” he says.
NFU is urging the Biden Administration to build on these efforts and offer more relief as needed.
