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Farmers can apply for help on shipping costs
CNMI farmers and ranchers now can get help to send their products to off-island markets as well as with the cost of importing fertilizers, seeds, and other production inputs through the Reimbursement Transportation Cost Payment Program of the U.S Department of Agriculture.
Earlier in the year, U.S. Congress reauthorized the program in the 2014 Farm Bill and the USDA’s Farm Service Agency announced earlier this week that sign-ups begin on July 21, 2014.
The RTCP will provide assistance to geographically disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. That means producers who are located in remote areas.
The program reimburses producers for a portion of the transportation cost for transporting their agricultural commodities or inputs used to produce an agricultural commodity.
According to Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council chair Ramon B. Camacho, they had applied for the program three years ago and he is encouraging farmers to apply again.
“This will help subsidize the costs and total expense of farmers. It is a good program and incentive and also helps with the cost and I am encouraging all NMI farmers to apply to this program,” Camacho said.
U.S Delegate Gregorio Kilili Sablan (Ind-MP) is also encouraging farmers to apply for the program.
“I encourage farmers and ranchers to enroll in the program. Be sure to save all transportation-related receipts as evidence of your expenses,” he said.
The program’s eligible commodities include: aquaculture, feed, fiber, floriculture, food, horticulture (including trees), insects, and livestock.
Those eligible have be “geographically disadvantaged farmer or rancher” producing, marketing, and transporting an agricultural commodity in an approved area, provide proof of the amount of costs earned, average non-farm income that does not exceed $500,000, and be a citizen or a legal resident alien of the United States.
Commercial fishermen are not eligible to receive the benefits of the RTCP program.
For more information, contact Thomas Camacho, FSA county director, at (670) 236-0896 or email him at thomas.camacho@pb.usda.gov.
