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Update: April 29, 2019: USDA extended the deadline to May 17, 2019 (from May 1) for agricultural producers to certify 2018 crop production for payments through the Market Facilitation Program. Payments will be issued only if eligible producers certify before the updated May 17 deadline. Note: The MFP application period closed Feb. 14, 2019. Producers have until May 17, 2019 to certify production.

Update Jan. 9, 2019: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the deadline to apply for the Market Facilitation Program would be extended by the number of business days Farm Service Agency offices were closed once the government shutdown ends. 

NOTE: Farmers who have already signed up for the program but have yet to certify their 2018 crop production will have to wait for FSA offices to open in order to do so. 

PREVIOUS: This week, USDA released the second and final round of trade mitigation payments aimed at assisting farmers impacted by the ongoing trade and tariff implications around the world. Corn, soybean, dairy and other farmers in Ohio and across the country are now eligible to receive Market Facilitation Program payments for the second half of their 2018 production.

Producers who have signed up for MFP are eligible for the first and second payments. The sign up period closes Jan. 15, but farmers have until May 1 to certify their 2018 production. The MFP provides payments to almond, cotton, corn, dairy, hog, sorghum, soybean, fresh sweet cherry, and wheat producers who have been significantly impacted and suffered the loss of traditional exports. Eligible producers should apply after harvest is complete, as payments will only be issued once production is reported.

For farmers who have already applied, completed harvest and certified their 2018 production, a second payment will be issued on the remaining 50 percent of the producer’s total production, multiplied by the MFP rate for the specific commodity.