The USDA Farm Service Agency issued a notice this morning that they will begin issuing payments for the 2022 Emergency Relief Program. These payments had been halted following a preliminary injunction filed regarding USDA’s discriminatory payment calculations for social disadvantaged producers.
FSA put payments on hold to evaluate the claims of the preliminary injunction and will now modify payment calculations. For Track 1, FSA will no longer refund underserved farmer and rancher’s share of the premiums and fees for crop insurance, and for Track 2, they will no longer provide an increase up to 15% of the gross Track 2 payment after progressive factoring.
Because of the modifications they will be making to the calculation software, there may continue to be some delays, but payments will begin again in “late August,” according to the notice.