Agricultural producers have until Feb. 14, 2019, to sign up for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Market Facilitation Program (MFP), which was launched last year to help producers suffering damages due to unjustified trade retaliation. Producers can apply without proof of yield but must certify 2018 production by May 1, 2019.

Since its launch in September 2018, more than 864,000 producers have applied for MFP, supporting those hit hard with nearly $8 billion in estimated payments. 

Producers of corn, cotton, dairy, hogs, shelled almonds, sorghum, soybeans, fresh sweet cherries and wheat should apply at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office.

“Farmers are very resilient, and these payments are helping agricultural producers meet some of the costs of disrupted markets in 2018,” USDA undersecretary for farm production and conservation Bill Northey said. “We view it as a short-term solution to help America’s farmers, and we encourage impacted producers to apply for this program by the Feb. 14 deadline.”

USDA has paid $6.4 billion to farmers and ranchers affected by retaliatory tariffs. The agency set aside a total of $9.6 billion for payments on 2018 production, said Dave Salmonsen, American Farm Bureau Federation senior director of congressional relations. “We urge farmers impacted by these retaliatory tariffs to take advantage of this program,” Salmonsen said.

Related:Congress holds power to limit Trump's tariff authority

He added that another component of MFP is the trade promotion program, which has awarded $200 million to 57 different organizations to promote U.S. agricultural products worldwide. The program is also committing $2.1 billion to purchase products for donation.

USDA previously announced the second and final round of trade mitigation payments. Producers need only sign up for MFP once to be eligible for the first and second payments.

MFP applications are available online at www.farmers.gov/MFP. Applications can be completed at a local FSA office or submitted electronically either by scanning, emailing or faxing. To locate or contact a local FSA office, visit www.farmers.gov.

Applications can also be completed via the farmers.gov dashboard by producers who have Level 2 eAuthentication accounts. Sign into the dashboard at https://www.farmers.gov/sign-in. Producers who do not have an account can register for one at www.eauth.usda.gov.