WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture extending the deadline from May 1 to May 17 for farmers to certify 2018 crop production for payments through the Market Facilitation Program:

“Throughout this trade dispute, President Trump and Secretary Perdue have consistently prioritized the needs of our agricultural producers, and I applaud them for their efforts. Extending this deadline gives producers whose crops were affected by extreme weather the chance to maximize the assistance they receive. As trade negotiations continue, I will work with this administration to ensure we meet the needs of our farmers and producers.”

The Market Facilitation Program was established to assist farmers suffering from China’s retaliatory actions. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue first announced this deadline extension on Saturday at a producer roundtable in Harwood, North Dakota.

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