Pennsylvania’s farmers and ranchers who have lost revenue because of the covid-19 pandemic can apply for federal aid to compensate for their losses.

The federal government is making $16 billion available for agricultural producers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.

The direct payments to farmers and producers are limited to $250,000 per person or farm, or $750,000 for corporations. Farm Service Agency offices began taking applications Tuesday.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act provides $9.5 billion to compensate farmers for losses caused by price declines that occurred between mid-January and mid-April and provides support for specialty crops for product that had been shipped from the farm between the same time period but subsequently spoiled because of lost marketing channels.

Another $6.5 billion will compensate for losses caused by ongoing market disruptions.

A Farm Service Agency spokesperson for Westmoreland County referred comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Rick Ebert, a Derry Township farmer who is president of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture does not track the amount of revenue lost by the farmers or producers, said Shannon Powers, an agriculture department spokeswoman.

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