Perdue calls third round of MFP 'imminent'
By Holly Spangler
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue addressed farmers and ranchers at the annual American Farm Bureau Federation convention on Monday, commiserating with them on a tough 2019 while remaining optimistic for 2020.
"We know 2019's been a pretty tough year. Farm disasters, unfair trade retaliation, low prices – affected every farm in America," Perdue told the crowd, gathered in Austin, Texas. "But you kept on keeping on and you persevered."
Coming on the heels of President Donald Trump's visit on Sunday, Perdue reassured that the third round of payments in the 2019 MFP program is coming, though he allows that he hasn't gotten a firm date from the Office of Management and Budget on the allocation.
"It's imminent – although you can define that how you want to in Washington, D.C." Perdue joked.
He also cleared up confusion regarding the 2019 MFP program and what may happen in 2020. While there's no question that the third round of payments for 2019 will be coming soon, new trade deals mean farmers shouldn't expect to see a payment program in 2020.
"In agriculture, we like to grow things and we would rather have trade than aid," Perdue said, pointing to new agreements with Canada, Mexico and China, with several others on the horizon, including North Africa, Spain, Philippines, Portugal, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Peru.