The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering up to $1 billion of financial aid to American producers of certain specialty crops, including growers of wine grapes, through its new Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program. Per USDA’s recent press release, the goal of the ASCF program is to “help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports.” USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is responsible for administering the ASCF program and will issue one-time bridge payments to qualifying farmers. To be eligible for an ASCF payment, specialty crop producers must meet the following requirements: Be actively engaged in farming; Have risk and interest in the eligible planted commodity; and Report 2025 planted acreage to FSA by 5 p.m. ET on March 13, 2026. ASCF payments will be calculated based on reported 2025 planted acres, and commo

Afternoon Brief, February 9th

Napa County Delays Walt Ranch Hearing amid Conflict-Of-Interest Allegations: Sonoma County Vintners in collaboration with presenting sponsor American AgCredit will honor four Sonoma County Icons and Innovators during the Sonoma County Barrel Auction (SoCoBA) to be held at MacMurray Estate Vineyards on Friday, May 6, 2022...

Afternoon Brief, December 15th

A Perfect Storm of Disruptions Will Create a Global Champagne Shortage: It’s not your imagination: Champagne is harder to find these days. After a perfect storm of disruptions, the U.S. is currently in the early stages of a Champagne shortage that is expected to last several years...

Afternoon Brief, July 30th

California Wine Country Rebuilds as Threats Persist: The drought in Northern California is severe, and the risk of fires remains high. But winemakers are trying to adapt to climate change...

Biden Administration to Invest $67 Million to Help Heirs Resolve Land Ownership and Succession Issues

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2021 — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced during a press conference with U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, U.S. Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., and U.S. Congresswoman Cheri Bustos that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing $67 million in competitive loans through the new Heirs’ Property Relending Program (HPRP), which aims to […]

For more information on the original round of funding from the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), please see our previous article. On September 18, 2020, the USDA announced a new program and additional round of funding for agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions, and associated costs, due to COVID-19. Signup for CFAP 2 began September 21, 2020, and runs through December 11, 2020. Brief Overview Brief Overview Eligibility and payment limits are separate from the CFAP 1 program. If you’ve already applied for CFAP 1, make sure to check eligibility for CFAP 2, evaluate your eligibility and if you want to apply, then apply as soon as possible. Applications can be submitted online via the USDA website or with your local Farm Service Agency office. CFAP 2 was adapted to include more commodities that weren’t eligible in CFAP 1 including over 230 specialty crops. CFAP 2 payments will be made