Alabama Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday allocated $26 million to help stabilize businesses in the state’s agriculture industry.
The funds will establish the Alabama Agriculture Stabilization Program, which will be administered by the Department of Agriculture and Industries under the leadership of Commissioner Rick Pate.
Ivey’s apportioning of the $26 million comes out of the $1.9 billion Alabama was given as part of the federal government’s CARES Act that was passed in March with the goal of helping the country get through the coronavirus pandemic.
“Due to COVID-19, numerous farms and processing facilities have struggled to remain open and sell their products,” Ivey said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Establishing the Alabama Agriculture Stabilization Program is not only the right thing to do to protect our farmers, but it also key to stabilizing Alabama’s economy,” she continued.
The Stabilization Program will split the money among seven categories.
Those categories, per the governor’s office, as follows:
1. Direct Payment Business Stabilization Grants to Cattle Producers- $10.5 million
2. Meat Processing Plant Reimbursement Program- $1.5 million
3. Poultry Farmer Stabilization Grant Program- $4 million
4. Catfish Processor Reimbursement Program- $500,000
5. Fruit & Vegetable Processor Reimbursement Program- $500,000
6. State Supplemental CFAP Grant Program- $8 million
7. Nursery Grower Reimbursement Program- $1 million
“I want to thank Governor Ivey for her continued support of Alabama agriculture and for providing much needed assistance to farmers and processors adversely effected by COVID-19,” remarked Pate.
The specifics on how farmers may apply for the assistance are not yet available.
Alabama Farmers Federation President Jimmy Parnell said on Wednesday that ALFA “will continue to work closely with Commissioner Pate and the Department of Revenue to provide details on how to apply for assistance as soon as they become available.”
“We appreciate Gov. Ivey and Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate working with our members and other stakeholders to assess losses resulting from market disruption and identify urgent needs for stabilizing Alabama’s agricultural economy,” added Parnell.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@new-yhn.local or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
