State Agriculture Department to Host Information Sessions Oct. 19 and 21
HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania poultry dealers who may have suffered lost revenues after their contracts with bankrupt live poultry dealers were terminated may qualify for grants of up to $1,000 to help offset those losses through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Poultry Loss Assistance Program.
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding said his department is working to facilitate the program in the state and is offering informational sessions to help producers apply for the assistance.
“Pennsylvania poultry producers suffered loss of revenue in 2008 as a result of the unexpected bankruptcy of live poultry dealers,” said Redding. “This assistance program will help the producers most affected by that loss.”
2008 was a difficult year financially for poultry dealers. Excess supplies of chicken drove down prices while production expenses increased as corn prices were near all-time highs.
The USDA responded by instituting the Poultry Grant Assistance Program this year. The program will help producers recoup some of the revenue they lost after their contracts with bankrupt growers were terminated. Other states participating in the program include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
To be eligible, producers must have had a poultry growing arrangement with a live poultry dealer that filed bankruptcy between Dec. 1-30, 2008 and the producer must have terminated the arrangement between May 1, 2008 and July 1, 2010.
Eligible producers must not have entered into a growing arrangement with any live poultry dealer for one month after their original agreement with a bankrupt dealer was terminated.
Applications for assistance are due Wednesday, Nov. 24.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture will host two free information sessions to assist producers with their applications. The dates, times and locations of the sessions are as follows:
• Tuesday, Oct. 19, from 10 a.m. – noon, Room 202, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 2301 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg; and
• Thursday, Oct. 21, from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., York County Penn State Cooperative Extension Office, 112 Pleasant Acres Road, York.
For information about the grant program, or to receive a grant application, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at 717-787-2376 or e-mail denhall@state.pa.us.
