Farmers impacted by pandemic supply chain back-up may be eligible
ST. PAUL, MN: Hog operations that were forced to depopulate hogs and turkey producers who marketed fewer liveweight pounds due to supply chain back-ups during the COVID-19 pandemic can now apply for cost-share funds to recoup some of their losses.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Hog Depopulation Cost-Share Program provides financial assistance to owners of hogs, including integrators and independent growers, that depopulated hogs being raised in Minnesota. Depopulation must have occurred between March 2, 2020, and September 30, 2020, in response to changing market conditions caused by COVID-19 and must have been performed under the guidance of an accredited veterinarian. Applicants will need to submit three documents for eligibility to be considered:
• Completed cost-share application form, including your premises ID(s)
• Veterinarian’s Hog Depopulation Program Certification, signed electronically
• IRS Form W-9, signed electronically
The MDA’s Turkey Market Loss Cost-Share Program provides financial assistance to Minnesota turkey producers, including processors, contract growers, and independent growers, who marketed fewer liveweight pounds during March – September 2020 due to COVID-19 when compared to the same period in 2018. Any depopulation of turkeys must have been performed under the guidance of an accredited veterinarian. Turkey farmers will need to submit four documents to the MDA for eligibility to be considered:
• Completed cost-share application form, including your premises ID(s)
• Veterinarian’s Turkey Depopulation Program Certification (if you depopulated turkeys), signed electronically
• Statement from the Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council summarizing liveweight pounds in March – September 2018 and March – September 2020.
• IRS Form W-9, signed electronically
All applications must be received by December 1, 2020, at 4 p.m.
Applications for both cost-share programs can be completed online. Anyone not able to apply online should contact program administrators David Weinand (Hog Cost-Share) at David.weinand@state.mn.us or Kelly Anderson (Turkey Cost-Share) at Kelly.anderson@state.mn.us to inquire about other options.
Funding for these cost-share programs is made available through the CARES Act and is part of a $7.7 million plan announced earlier this month by Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan to support agricultural producers, meat processors, and farmers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.