In mid-October, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced he would utilize federal CARES Act dollars allocated to Minnesota to provide a total of $7.7 million to food and agriculture, $5.75 million of which will be available to eligible farmers who suffered losses due to processing plant shutdowns and other market disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over the past several months, the voluntary-funded Minnesota Pork Producers Association worked to communicate with legislators and state decision-makers the dire situation pig farmers found themselves in this spring and summer during packing plant closures and the devastating decisions producers had to make on their farms. The MPPA played an integral role in ensuring this financial support is available to pig farmers.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has announced additional details on the direct payments.
Key points about the payments and eligibility
- MDA is offering $5 per approved animal weighing less than 25 pounds, and $30 per approved animal weighing over 225 pounds to help cover disposal costs for animals destroyed due to lack of market availability
- Documentation proof of proper disposal is required from the farm's accredited veterinarian
- Donated market-ready pigs are excluded from grant aid
- Applicant must be an owner of pigs raised in Minnesota
Applications for direct payments have a deadline ending 4 p.m. Dec. 1. Funds will be paid prior to Dec. 30.
Click here to complete the online application.
For more information, visit the Minnesota Department of Agriculture website.
