WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and 27 Senate colleagues, sent a bipartisan letter calling on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to ensure that specialty crop producers receive financial assistance from losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Illinois is the number one producer of two specialty crops: pumpkins and horseradish. Illinois is also in the top ten producers for asparagus, cauliflower, peas, herbs, and lima beans.
“The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act established a $9.5 billion disaster fund and specifically included producers of specialty crops as eligible for assistance,” the Senators wrote. “As USDA specifies how this assistance will be provided, we ask that you ensure that specialty crop producers receive assistance that is commensurate with the losses they are facing.”
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The fresh produce industry has experienced $5 billion in losses from coronavirus, with additional losses expected in the coming months. Producers are also facing increased costs in order to meet social distancing requirements and adequately protect their workers from coronavirus, on top of existing challenges with trade.
The Senators urged the USDA to provide direct payments to eligible producers for lost revenue and increased production costs related to COVID-19. The Senators also asked USDA to purchase specialty crops for redistribution to food banks, schools and emergency feeding organizations.
In addition to Durbin, Duckworth, Feinstein, and Stabenow, the letter was signed by Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Susan Collins (R-ME), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Gary Peters (D-MI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Angus King (I-ME).
