Farmers who have experienced losses due to COVID-19 are in line for some help.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has direct assistance available for qualifying farmers and ranchers who have been directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The department has announced some changes to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) first announced in April.

“Farmers and ranchers whose operations have been directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic can apply for assistance through USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP),” according to a release from USDA Farm Service Agency. “Recently additional commodities were added to CFAP and other adjustments to the program were made based on comments received from agricultural producers and organizations and review of market data. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting through Aug. 28, 2020.”

Numerous commodities have been added to the original qualifying list, standards for some originally qualified commodities have been expanded, some payments have been corrected, and peaches and rhubarb have been removed from the qualifying list for sales loss.

Farmers with USDA login credentials may apply, digitally sign, and submit applications at farmers.gov/cfap.

Those without the login credentials may also go to farmers.gov/cfap and download form AD-3114, fill it out, and return it to their local USDA service center, or use the online application generator and payment calculator to complete an application which can be printed and returned to the service center.

The Clarion County Farm Service Agency is the service center that serves Warren County.