Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) for the Commodity Container Assistance Program

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is announcing the availability of funding for the Commodity Container Assistance Program (CCAP) in response to temporary market disruptions that have created logistical challenges associated with all aspects of the availability and flow of containers to transport agricultural commodities and products made from those commodities (collectively referred to as "agricultural commodities"), and are preventing or delaying American-grown agricultural commodities from reaching their markets. CCAP will be focused on increasing intermodal container capacity through partnerships with the Port of Oakland, in Oakland, California, and the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), a marine cargo operating partnership between the Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma in Washington State. Both the Port of Oakland and the ports managed by NWSA have been identified as key gateways for American-grown agricultural commodities, and each have also experienced significant challenges with the flow of containerized agricultural commodities. To assist owners of American- grown agricultural commodities in shipping their commodities from U.S. ports to global markets, CCAP will support improved use of empty shipping containers, along with the prepositioning and temporary storage of filled shipping containers near export terminals. USDA may pursue additional temporary partnerships with other ports or intermodal facilities as supply chain conditions warrant, if funding is available. In this document, FSA is providing the eligibility requirements, application process, and payment calculations for CCAP.