Signup for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) began on Sept. 21, 2020 and will continue through Dec. 11, 2020. CFAP 2 provides eligible producers with direct financial assistance due to market disruptions and associated costs because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out our brief video about the program.

CFAP 2 is a separate program from the first round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, now referred to as CFAP 1. Farmers and producers who participated in CFAP 1 will not be automatically enrolled and must complete a new application for CFAP 2. Details on how to apply can be found on farmers.gov/cfap/apply.

CFAP 2 Eligible Commodities Finder

Many more commodities are eligible for CFAP 2 than CFAP 1. Interested in finding the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 payment rates for the eligible commodities you grow or raise? Our new, easy-to-use CFAP 2 Eligible Commodities Finder makes finding payment rates specific to your operation simple. From yam to alpaca farmers – and everyone in between – the payment rate information you need is just a few clicks away. Try it today on your desktop, tablet, or mobile device.

Call Center

A call center is available for producers who would like additional one-on-one support with the CFAP 2 application process. Please call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance. The call center can provide service to non-English speaking customers. Customers will select 1 for English and 2 to speak with a Spanish speaking employee. For other languages, customers select 1 and indicate their language to the call center staff.

 Get out and vote!  2020 Board of Supervisor Election

Licking County Soil & Water Conservation District has a five-member Board of Supervisors elected by landowners and residents of Licking County.   As unpaid Public Officials, the Board members are responsible for conducting business within the scope of the laws and administrative rules that govern Soil & Water.  Board members also help guide Soil & Water’s mission with professionalism, efficiency, and effectiveness. Two Supervisors will be elected to a three‐year term commencing January 1, 2021.

Candidates are Kim Byce, Bill Goodman and Rhonda Reda.   Visit https://lickingswcd.com/who-we-are/board.html for the candidate’s bios.

Individuals who own or occupy land within the Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District and are 18 years of age or older may vote for Supervisor.

There are three ways an eligible voter can cast a ballot:

1.) At the Soil & Water office from November 4, 2020 until November 18, 2020 during normal business hours; or

2.) At the Soil & Water Drive Thru voting event, which will take place at Soil & Water office on November 12, 2020 and from 4:30-6:30 pm; or

3.) Voting absentee from October 5, 2020 until November 3, 2020, by requesting the ballot application and election ballot from the SWCD office at the following address: 771 East Main Street, Suite 100, Newark, OH  43055, by calling 740‐670‐5330, or email Information@LickingSWCD.com. Absentee ballots must be received by the SWCD office by November 18, 2020.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) just announced Friday, Oct. 30, 2020, as the deadline to submit applications for the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program – Plus (WHIP+) for 2018 and 2019 losses. FSA did not originally specify a deadline when the program was announced.

WHIP+ compensates producers for losses due to hurricanes, floods, snowstorms, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity, drought, excessive moisture, and wildfires occurring in calendar years 2018 and 2019. Drought and excessive moisture were added as eligible losses for the program in March 2020.  To date, FSA has received more than 133,000 applications for WHIP+ disaster assistance and paid out nearly $1.4 billion in WHIP+ benefits.

Next week, FSA will launch a new tool on the farmers.gov WHIP+ webpage to help producers understand eligibility for the program and whether they had possible losses in 2018 and 2019.  The tool will also allow producers an opportunity to provide information for FSA staff to reach out to them.

FSA will announce soon the details for producers who experienced quality loss from 2018 and 2019 natural disaster events authorized in appropriations legislation.  There will be a separate signup period for producers reporting quality loss.

For more information or application assistance, visit farmers.gov WHIP+ webpage, or contact your local USDA Service Center. To locate your local FSA office, visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator.

All USDA Service Centers are open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business in person by appointment only. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other Service Center agency should call ahead and schedule an appointment. Service Centers that are open for appointments will pre-screen visitors based on health concerns or recent travel, and visitors must adhere to social distancing guidelines. Visitors are required to wear a face covering during their appointment. Field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. Our program delivery staff will be in the office, and they will be working with our producers in office, by phone, and using online tools. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.