National Cattlemen Beef Association,
NCBA Vice President, Government Affairs Ethan Lane, released the following statement in response to final Congressional approval of the Paycheck Protection Program Increase Act.
“America’s cattle producers are working hard every day to keep feeding America, even as they face more than $13 billion in financial losses while also tending to the health of their families during this pandemic,” said Lane. “We truly appreciate the swift bipartisan passage of the PPP Increase Act, which we hope will make more aid available to cattle producers across rural America. We’re also thankful Congress explicitly authorized producer eligibility for Economic Injury Disaster Loans and emergency grants administered by the Small Business Administration.
Extending this program to agriculture provides another critical source of financing to help preserve family farm and ranch businesses suffering in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following NCBA’s letter to USDA earlier today, members in both chambers of Congress sent a letter to President Trump, aligning with NCBA’s request that payment caps be lifted to ensure all cattle producers can access the funds that will be needed to sustain their operations through the COVID-19 crisis. The bipartisan, bicameral effort was signed by more than 150 members of the House and Senate, and urgently requests the lifting of payment caps for the agricultural industries which continue to fight hard to feed Americans despite massive economic hardships.
Lane said NCBA members are extremely thankful to members of the House and Senate who spearheaded support for the request.
“We’re very thankful to the many elected officials on both sides of the aisle who have worked together with each other and with NCBA to make sure that America’s cattle producers have what they need to keep feeding our nation during these challenging times, and we look forward to working in a bipartisan and cooperative way as we continue to move forward through this crisis.”
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