Feenstra Demands Answers from USDA Over Significant Delays in Pandemic Relief Payments for Iowa Hog Producers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack demanding answers over significant payment delays for Iowa hog producers through the Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program (SMHPP), a pandemic-era program established to support continued hog operations and maintain a plentiful food supply during the pandemic.
Amid frustrating delays, Rep. Feenstra is requesting answers to the following questions:
- When will producers know how much per head they will be receiving for this program?
- When can producers expect to have their payment?
“When the SMHPP program was first announced, producers were told they would be getting a single payment rate of $54 per head. Many producers in my district and the country planned their budgets with this number in mind. Now they are being told that the amount per head is not yet known and that they must wait for a payment factor to be determined,” wrote Rep. Feenstra.
Feenstra continued, “This process has been unclear from the beginning – from having to submit additional supporting documents after the hog eligibility was clarified, to producers being left in the dark regarding the timeline of this program, it is long past-due for producers to be given answers.”
You can read the full letter HERE.
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