Producers of corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, dairy, and hogs, who have been directly impacted by illegal retaliatory tariffs, can now apply for direct payments to help offset the loss of exports, Wendy Modlin, Farm Service Agency director for Dare, Tyrrell and Washington counties, has announced.

Producers may apply for Market Facilitation Program assistance from now through January 15.

A payment will be issued on the first 50 percent of the producer’s total production of the commodity. On or about December 3, The Commodity Credit Corporation will announce a second payment rate, if applicable, that will apply to the remaining 50 percent of the producer’s production, Modlin stated.

An MFP payment will be made after a producer harvests 100 percent of the crop and certifies the amount of production.

The initial MFP rates are as follows:

• Cotton $0.06 per pound
• Corn $0.01 per bushel
• Dairy $0.12 per cwt.
• Hogs $8 per head (number of head as of

August 1)

• Sorghum $0.86 per bushel
• Soybeans $1.65 per bushel
• Wheat $0.14 per bushel

The MFP payment equals 2018 total production of the producer times 50 percent times the MFP rate. For example, a producer who harvested 100,000 bushels of wheat would receive an initial MFP payment totaling $7,000 (100,000 bushels times 50 percent times $0.14 per bushel).

For more information about the MFP program, visit www.farmers.gov/MFP or contact your local FSA office. To find your local FSA office, visit www.farmers.gov.

The Washington County FSA is in Roper, telephone 252-791-0108. The Tyrrell-Dare County FSA is at 155 L.A. Keiser Drive, Columbia, telephone 252-796-3701.