Secretary of State Michael Watson is reminding you that today is the deadline for agriculture producers to apply for funding through the Mississippi Agriculture Stabilization Act (“MASA”). MASA is a self-certified application program for assistance due to the negative effects of the pandemic on Mississippi agriculture producers.
In a news release, Watson explained that the program has three separate funds within it: the Poultry Farmer Stabilization Grant Fund ($3 million), the Sweet Potato Farm Sustainment Grant Program Fund ($500,000), and the Mississippi Supplemental CFAP Grant Program Fund ($9.5 million).
Allowable reimbursable COVID-related farm expenses include the following:
- costs to feed/care for livestock that would not have been spent but for COVID (e.g., cattle were not sold due to lack of demand, so extra feed was purchased by the farmer);
- costs associated with cancellations; additional supplies; additional hardware/software;
- project costs;
- training;
- overtime to cover for another employee in quarantine;
- PPE;
- Other expenses as noted on the program’s website.
All applications must be submitted online. If application requests exceed available funding, funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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