Congresswoman Luria urges House to include contract poultry growers in COVID-19 relief

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congresswoman Elaine Luria wrote to Congressional leadership this week, calling for COVID-19 relief for contract poultry growers. 

In her Nov. 23 letter, Virginia's 2nd District congresswoman said these contract farmers slipped through the cracks in previous relief efforts. 

"While the CARES Act was a lifeline for many in the agriculture industry, contract poultry growers were left behind,” Luria wrote. “Including contract poultry growers in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program will help them make ends meet during this period of economic uncertainty. We must do more to help this industry.”

In a recent press release, the congresswoman's team said large poultry companies often contract with local farmers to grow birds in house before processing them, and from March to May alone, 2.2 million fewer chickens were placed with Virginia growers — causing them to lose about $15,000 on-average.

These growers were excluded from the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, and many are ineligible for small business relief programs, according to Luria. 

"I urge you to include this important industry in any upcoming relief package to fix this oversight," Luria wrote.