USDA is providing critical support to our nation’s 

farmers and ranchers through the Coronavirus 

Food Assistance Program (CFAP). CFAP provides 

vital financial assistance to producers of 

agricultural commodities and gives them the ability 

to absorb sales declines and increased marketing 

costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

USDA will consider additional commodities to be 

eligible for CFAP by collecting information that is 

not currently available to USDA on potentially 

eligible commodities. 

Overview

The commodities currently included in the program are 

those for which USDA data was available to determine 

that a five percent-or-greater price decline occurred 

from mid-January 2020 to mid-April 2020. Currently, 

the eligible commodities for CFAP include:

• Non-specialty crops: malting barley, canola, corn, 

upland cotton, millet, oats, sorghum, soybeans, 

sunflowers, durum wheat and hard red spring 

wheat and wool.

• Livestock: cattle, dairy, hogs, lambs and yearlings.

• Specialty crops: almonds, apples, artichokes, 

asparagus, avocados, beans, blueberries, broccoli, 

cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, celery, 

sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, grapefruit, 

kiwifruit; lemons, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, 

mushrooms, dry onions, green onions, oranges, 

papayas, peaches, pears, pecans, bell type 

peppers, other peppers, potatoes, raspberries, 

rhubarb, spinach, squash, strawberries, sweet 

potatoes, tangerines, taro, tomatoes, walnuts, and 

watermelons.

United States

Department of

Agriculture

CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Consideration of Additional Commodities

FARM SERVICE AGENCY

FACT SHEET - JUNE 1, 2020

USDA is looking for data on agricultural commodities 

not included in the list above for consideration as 

additional eligible commodities.

USDA is particularly interested in obtaining information 

within these specific categories:

• Nursery Products

• Aquaculture Products

• Cut Flowers

Ineligible Commodities

Commodities that did not suffer a five percent-orgreater price decline from mid-January 2020 to midApril 2020 are not eligible for CFAP. 

Ineligible commodities include sheep more than 2 

years old, eggs/layers, soft red winter wheat, hard red 

winter wheat, white wheat, rice, flax, rye, peanuts, feed 

barley, Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton, alfalfa, forage 

crops, hemp, and tobacco. 

USDA may reconsider the excluded commodities if 

credible evidence is provided.
CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONAL COMMODITIES 2

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Submitting Information

You are encouraged to submit data and information for 

consideration if you are a producer of an agricultural 

commodity that you believe have either:

1. suffered a five percent-or-greater price decline 

between mid-January and mid-April as a result of 

the COVID-19 pandemic,

2. shipped but subsequently spoiled due to loss of 

marketing channel, or

3. not left the farm or remained unharvested as 

mature crops.

In providing input, please consider these questions:

1. What commodities not listed above have suffered 

a 5-percent-or-greater price loss between January 

and April 2020 and face additional marketing costs 

due to COVID-19? 

2. What was the price received per unit of measure sold 

the week of January 13 through January 17, 2020, (or if 

not available, the nearest date to this) and what is the 

basis for the determination of this price? 

3. What was the price received per unit of measure 

sold the week of April 6 through April 10, 2020, (or 

if not available, the nearest date to this) and what is 

the basis for the determination of this price?

These questions should be used as a guide and are 

not intended to limit the type or amount of data 

and information provided. The most helpful and 

informative information for consideration by USDA 

describes how the decline in price was determined 

and documents the sources used to make this 

determination. 

Examples of this type of information include: 

• Futures Prices

• Sales Trends

• Market Trends

• Food Price Indexes

You can submit your information using either of these 

methods:

• Through the Federal Rulemaking Portal: 

Go to regulations.gov and search for Docket 

ID FSA-2020-0004. Follow the instructions for 

submitting comments. 

• By Mail: Director, SND, FSA, US Department of 

Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Stop 

0522, Washington, DC 20250-0522.

The deadline to submit comments is June 22, 2020.

The additional commodities USDA determines eligible 

will be announced late summer 2020.

More Information

This fact sheet is for informational purposes only; other 

restrictions may apply. For more information about the 

Notice of Funding Availability and other CFAP program 

details, visit farmers.gov/cfap or contact your local 

FSA office. Additionally, producers in search of one-onone support with the CFAP application process can call 

877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee 

ready to offer assistance.

To find your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov/cfap.