SYRACUSE, N.Y.—Better get busy on the paperwork.

Producers looking to apply for emergency aid funding through the USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) are being encouraged to get to work immediately on the red tape.

Deadline to sign up for the funding is Sept. 11.

“With only two weeks before the deadline, now is the time to check out the resources on farmers.gov/cfap and contact the call center or your local FSA office for your last-minute questions,” the USDA’s Farm Service Agency said in a statement on Friday.

Meanwhile, the New York State Maple Producers Association based in Syracuse is hosting a webinar on Wednesday Sept. 2 at 7pm to answer questions for sugarmakers.

The webinar will be available to sugarmakers in all U.S. maple states and can be accessed online or with a conference call phone number. 

Producers should email Lynnette.wright@usda.gov to receive a calendar invite to the webinar or call: 347-690-4420; Conference ID: 477 875 086#

The $16 billion CFAP program provides direct relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19.  

“Maple sap” was last week added by U.S. agriculture secretary Sonny Perdue to the list of more than 160 commodities eligible for the program.

Payment rates and calculations can be found on farmers.gov/cfap.

The Farm Service Agency has set up a call center offering one-on-one support with the CFAP application process.  

Sugarmakers can call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee. 

Producers have several options for applying to the CFAP program by the Sept. 11 deadline:

•Using an online portal accessible at gov/cfap. This allows producers with secure USDA login credentials, known as eAuthentication, to certify eligible commodities online, digitally sign applications, and submit directly to the local USDA Service Center.  

•Completing the application form using our CFAP Application Generator and Payment Calculator found at gov/cfap. This Excel workbook allows customers to input information specific to their operation to determine estimated payments and populate the application form, which can be printed, then signed, and submitted to their local USDA Service Center. 

•Downloading the AD-3114 application form from gov/cfap and manually completing the form to submit to the local USDA Service Center by mail, electronically or by hand delivery to an office drop box. 

Some local FSA offices may be open for in-person business by appointment, with mandatory mask wearing. 

Visit farmers.gov/coronavirus/service-center-status to check the status of FSA offices.

USDA Service Centers help producers complete and transmit digitally signed applications through two commercially available tools: Box and OneSpan. More information can be found at farmers.gov/mydocs.

All other eligibility forms, such as those related to adjusted gross income and payment information, can be downloaded from farmers.gov/cfap/apply. 

For existing FSA customers, these documents are likely already on file, FSA officials said.

Other information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.