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Pork producers receive second round of trade aid

The Trump Administration has issued its second round of trade aid payments to farmers who have suffered from the ongoing trade disputes.

Dustin Baker with the National Pork Producers Council says eligible pork producers will receive another direct payment of $4 per animal.  “It doesn’t lift all boats and it doesn’t make producers whole,” he says.  “The bottom line is that we need resolution to these overall trade disputes that are going on.  But, it is certainly important to producers who are receiving MFP that they will be receiving the second set of payments.

He tells Brownfield the industry is grateful for the aid, but ultimately it wants to see the trade disputes resolved.  Baker says they are encouraged by the recent trade talks with China.  “There’s potential, moving forward, if we can end this trade dispute that it could be a good opportunity for our members to continue to provide product to that market,” he says.

He says fully resolving trade issues with Mexico and ensuring the USCMA deal is signed are also a priority for pork producers.

Under the assistance program, pork producers who have an adjusted gross income of less than $900,000 are eligible for direct payments of $8 per animal (which will be paid in two phases) based on the number of live hogs they owned on August 1, 2018 (or any day between July 15 and August 15 if that is more representative of the entity’s ownership interests).  Payments are limited to $125,000 per person or legal entity.  Sign-up for the Market Facilitation Program began September 4 and runs through January 15, 2019.