Month: August 2020

Appealing for Additional Financial Aid Assistance

Posted on by Nathaniel Harrietta

Did you receive less than the amount you were initially expecting from your financial aid? Was there a change in your ability of paying school fees? There’s no need to press the panic button. You are given with options and in some cases, among these options may be to compose a formal letter of financial aid appeal.

When to Submit an Appeal?

There is a possibility that there is a significant change in your financial situation; a parent might be unemployed or need to take a job that has a lower pay or might be that the cash intended for your college is now called for healthcare. Regardless of what the reason can be, you are experiencing and going through financial challenges than what you need when you initially filled out your FAFSA.

There are several reasons why you might find yourself the need to write an appeal letter for your financial aid. Most probable reason is attributed to unforeseen changes in your personal economic situation like for example:

  • Divorce
  • Unemployment and;
  • Serious medical condition

Yet another possible scenario is when the income you have listed onto your FAFSA has inaccuracy. Well, that could be the case in the event that there is a change in the job or if a bigger portion of the income needs to be paid for debt and cannot be used for college fees.

Inaccuracy is a big No-No in anything that you do, most especially if you or you know someone playing in online casino like DominoQQ. These mistakes are going to cost you serious amounts of money so be extra careful.

Writing Your Letter

Basically, there are several important points that you have to tackle on your appeal. Always bear in mind that the main objective of your appeal letter is to request assistance. Meaning to say, this isn’t a place for you to complain, make demands or vent out. You are calling for the assistance of the financial aid’s office. Lastly, you are requesting for additional funding. This letter is simply you, stating your situation to the people or entity who can help you.

Here are the basics when writing your letter no matter what your reason is:

Number 1: Address to a specific person in the financial aid office of the school. If you do not have a contact yet, reach out to the department listing on the website of your school.

Number 2. While you are on the website, search for guidelines regarding their appeal process and see if there are any specific forms and whatnot.

Number 3. In the body, address the individual by their name. What you are trying to achieve here is a respectful tone to the receiver.

USDA Rectifies Exclusion of Specialty Crops From Coronavirus Relief

Posted on by Ned Trisha

Last July, the USDA announced that more than 40 specialty crops previously excluded from the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), will become qualified. Finally, on August 11, the USDA released a complete list of more than 40 specialty farm commodities and has given advice that the department’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is currently accepting applications up to September 11, 2020.

 

Specialty crop farmers whose CFAP applications were denied, have to file new applications. Crop producers who qualified to receive CFAP financial assistance based on qualified conditions , but seeking to acquire funding for specialty crops that have become eligible, do not have to file a new application. They only need to get in touch with their local FSA and request for the amendment of their application.

A complete list is available at the USDA’s FSA website, to which some examples of the specialty crops added include but are not limited to: alfalfa sprouts, almonds, artichokes, anise, apples, cilantro, collards, coriander, garlic, grapefruit, eggplant, guava, greens, dandelion, leeks, lemon, leeks, lettuce, onions and more.

Whereas before, the USDA approved CFAP applications for specialty crops only if the need for relief is due to the following:

The specialty crops had suffered a 5% or more decline in price, from mid-January to mid-April, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although applications based on this reason will still be considered, specialty crop producers may be requested to present bills of sale as proofs in support of such claims.

Specialty crop producers who suffered losses due to spoiled shipment after the pandemic had closed down their marketing channel. However, producers may be requested to submit documentation as proof of non-payment or obtain from the intended buyer a written explanation for the non-payment.

Specialty crop that were already for shipments but failed to leave the farms, or remained unharvested and unsold for lack of marketing channel, as a result of the COVID-19 lockdowns. However, the USDA said may request supporting documentations when assessing substantial claims on a cases-by-case basis.

What are Specialty Crops?

The oversight in granting direct payment was mainly due to the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 of the Farm Bill. to which the legal definition of specialty crops refers to “Fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, horticulture, floriculture, and nursery crops.

To be considered as specialty crops, the produce must have been cultivated, managed and used by individuals for purposes of producing food supplements, non-lab medicines and for aesthetic gratification or enhancement. When used as ingredients of processed products, the special substance must constitute more than 50% of the specialty crop in terms of weight without its added water content.

Part of the oversight was that majority of the specially crops are currently being cultivated, managed and sold by young Americans who became first generation farmers, as well as farmers of color. As a result, many were automatically excluded by the CFAP system.

Nonetheless, the matter was brought to the attention of the USDA by The National Young Farmers Coalition, which estimated that about three-quarters of the their members had also experienced lost sales after the COVID-19 measures resulted to closures of restaurants, specialty shops and farmers markets.