Washington — This week President Biden announced a series of changes his administration has put into effect that will negatively impact agriculture producers. These orders include a travel ban from an array of countries as well as a freeze on Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) funding. Applications for CFAP have only been open to producers for a few weeks before coming to a halt and are a critical lifeline for those who work tirelessly to ensure American families have adequate food to put on the table. 

The travel ban prohibits travelers from Brazil, Ireland, Europe, and South Africa and comes at a time when farmers are depending on H-2A visa recipients to help assist in the spring planting season which starts in early March. 

“Public safety is of paramount concern and I believe we have to make sure that any variant of this horrible disease is tracked and monitored,” said Crawford. “However, I believe there can be farmer-funded testing and quarantine mandates for travelers put into place which would alleviate these concerns. I urge the new administration and the appropriate agencies to consider replacing these obstructions with policies and procedures that will ensure public safety and food security for every American family.”

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