Notice to Program Participants of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Farmers Program from October 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010

WASHINGTON, April 4, 2011—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) today announced cash payments to producers who were approved under the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Farmers Program for the period beginning Oct. 1, 2010, and ending Dec.31, 2010, and who successfully complete the technical assistance training requirements.  The TAA for Farmers Program provides technical training and cash benefits to eligible U.S. producers and fishermen of raw agricultural commodities whose crops or catch have been adversely affected by imports of like or directly competitive commodities.

In September 2010, FAS certified group petitions filed by blueberry producers in Maine, lobster producers in the Northeast region, and shrimp producers in Alaska and the Gulf and South Atlantic regions. Nearly 6,000 producers applied for training and cash benefits for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending December 31, 2010. 

Prorated cash payments are necessary for this period due to the number of approved 
applications and the amount of funding available. Preliminary estimates indicate that eligible producers will receive a payment of approximately $1,200 for developing and implementing an approved initial business plan and an additional $2,300 for developing and implementing an approved long-term business plan. Producers may not receive more than $12,000 during the 
36-month period following certification of the group petition. USDA will begin processing cash payments in May.

The program was first established under the Trade Act of 2002, and expired on December 31, 2007. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 reauthorized and modified the program and provided appropriations of $90 million for FY 2010, and $22.5 million for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending December 31, 2010.

Points of Contact

General information about the TAA for Farmers Program can be found on the TAA for Farmers Web site at: http://www.taaforfarmers.org/ or the FAS Web site at: www.fas.usda.gov/itp/taa. For more information, contact the TAA for Farmers Program staff in the Office of Trade Programs at telephone (202) 720-0638 or by e-mail at tradeadjustment@fas.usda.gov.

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