Is There A Benefit To Livestock Producers For USDA Food Assistance Programs?
Livestock producers know it, and most other farmers are well aware that profitability for beef, pork, and dairy operations has been lacking for many months. That precipitated a call by dairy organizations for Congress to provide a $350 million aid package, which has now reached the point of agreement and may soon be called for a vote. The details include $290 million for producers and $60 million for purchase of surplus dairy products. But from that launching pad comes a request by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture for a program to support meat producers and give it to domestic food assistance programs. If that happens, is there any long term benefit? Advocates for a “Meat the Need” program say livestock producers did not get any benefit from economic stimulus funds that many industries have received from the US government, and it is hard to keep livestock operations going. The proposal would establish a federally funded buying program to deal with the oversu
