COVID-19 Resources for Farmers
Future Harvest is committed to the health and wellbeing of our community, and the staff and board members are thinking about you and your safety during this challenging time.
We understand your usual ways of doing business have been upended, at least temporarily. We hope to help our community by amplifying opportunities this crisis presents and working to mitigate the challenges. Stay safe out there! And thank you for your important service, our communities need healthy and nutritious food now more than ever!
We encourage food producers and food distribution centers to read and implement the Safety Protocols For Food Distribution & Purchases During COVID-19 created by Future Harvest, the Maryland Farmers Market Association, and the Historic Lewes Farmers Market. We have also created this document, Communicating Your Farm's COVID-19 Practices to Customers to help you clearly communicate your COVID-19 safety protocols to your customers. It contains guidelines on what and how to communicate to your customers, examples of website pages and messages farmers have sent out, and a template for emailing or posting your farm's COVID-19 response.
We are actively compiling resources additional for farmers and producers. Please find them here, check back often, and if you discover a great resource that we have not, email it to us and we will share it here.
Find A Farmer or Market Directory Map
We’re learning that there is nothing like a pandemic to drive home the importance of a robust, regional food system and the healthy, safe, local food such a system can dish up. Together with the Maryland Farmers Market Association (MDFMA), Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG), and Delmarva Grown, we've built the Find a Farmer or Market Directory Map to help consumers connect with farmers and markets where they can stock up on safe, fresh food. Fill out this form to get your farm on the map today. The Young Farmers Coalition has
Direct Sales Software Platforms
The National Young Farmers Coalition has put together a wonderful document outlining the features and prices of direct sales software systems for farmers. View it here.
Barn2door
Cropolis
CSAware
Farmers Web
Farmigo
GrazeCart
Grown By
HarvestHand
Harvie
Local Line
LocallyGrown
Local Food Marketplace
Local Orbit
MarketMaker
Open Food Network
Reko
Shopify
WhatsGood
Woo Commerce
1000EcoFarms
4/23 Strategies For Managing Financial Risk During COVID-19
Slides from the webinar here.
3/25 COVID-Call for Famers hosted by Future Harvest
Slides from the call: One Acre Farm & Food Safety
Relief Funds for Farmers
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FACT Emergency Mini Grants for Livestock and Poultry Farmers will award $500 on a rolling basis until funding is depleted. Eligible applicants own or are employed by a farm that raises livestock (ruminants, swine) and/or poultry and express a commitment to raising their animals using humane management practices. Farmers can request mini-grants for materials, services or equipment that would help them to transition to an online or alternative sales strategy (e.g. home delivery, on-farm sales), or for other projects that would help their farm business to maintain sales during this crisis. Apply here.
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USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Rapid Response to Novel Coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) Impacts Across Food and Agricultural Systems. Grant support via the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) to advance knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture which includes six priority areas: Plant Health and Production and Plant Products; Animal Health and Production and Animal Products; Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health; Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment; Agriculture Systems and Technology; and Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities. Closing date November 18. Apply here.
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USDA Farmers to Families Food Box. USDA will partner with regional and local distributors, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase fresh produce, dairy, and meat. USDA will award contracts for the purchase of the agricultural products, the assembly of commodity boxes and delivery to identified non-profit organizations that can receive, store and distribute food items. Apply here.
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USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) for Specialty Crops - As part of CFAP, the USDA will provide $16 billion in direct payments to specialty crop producers based on losses where prices and market supply chains have been impacted. Producers that fall into one of the following categories may be eligible to receive a direct payment: Specialty Crops, Row Crops, Livestock, Wool and Dairy Sales with a price loss of 5% or more between January 15 and April 15, 2020. Details on eligible crops and understanding CFAP here. Applications are open until August 28, 2020 with payouts on first come, first serve basis. Apply here.
Federal Resources
Resources by State
Maryland
Virginia
- Social Distnacing Signage for Use at Farmers Markets
- Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on US and Virginia and Virginia Farms and Agribusinesses: May 2020
- Covid Guidance for Farmers Markets
- Covid Guidance for Farm Stands
- Covid Guidance for Auction
- Video: Expanding Food Safety Protocols in an Evolving Landscape of COVID-19
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the new Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to provide $16 billion in aid to farmers who suffered economic losses due to the coronavirus pandemic, making it the largest single payment in history to our nation’s farmers.
Today through August 28, 2020, farmers that meet eligibility requirements may apply. Funds will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis, so if you do, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
The following summary is based on information provided by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. Read more about required documentation, expected payouts, farmer eligibility requirements, and what to prepare before applying, click here. Read more HERE
Health Department Links:
West Virginia
Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center
CDC COVID-19 Index (This map links to state-specifc public health departments)
Asset Mapping
Mid-Atlantic Emergency Feeding Contact - intended to keep track of all parties in the region working to respond to this crisis.
Resources for Farmers
- **NEW** COVID-19 and Our Mental Health
- Guide to Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting for Produce Farms
- Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on US and Virginia and Virginia Farms and Agribusinesses: May 2020
- Considerations for Fruit and Vegetable Growers Related to Coronavirus & COVID-19 (Download pdf)
- Grocery Retailers Can Sell Unlabled Eggs During the Pandemic
- USDA Announces Coronavirus Food Assistance Program to assis farmers, ranchers, and consumers
- Guidance for Social Distancing at Food Distribution Sites
- COVID-19 Food Satefy FAQS
- Preparing Your Farm for Impacts of COVID-19 UMD Extension
- COVID Resources for Vermont Vegetable ad Berry Growers
- Example of messaging from Rock Steady
- Disinfectants for use against COVID-19
- DIY hand sanitizer
- Greenmarket NYC producer protocols
- Example of messaging from Rock Steady
- OSHA guidelines on respiratory protection
- Cleaning and sterilizing digital devices
- You, COVID-19, and Your Farm Business
- Resources for Farmers/Rural Communities - COVID 19 LIVE DOCUMENT
- Coronavirus Food Systems Media Articles and Other LIVE DOCUMENT
- Center for Dairy Excellence - COVID 19 Farm Resources
Advocacy
- The food politics of Coronavirus
- More on the food politics of Coronavirus
- NSAC Statement on COVID-19
Upcoming Webinars
Coming soon...
Articles and Guides
- How to Properly Wash Your Hands - Certified Nursing Assistants
- How Small Farms Can Survive the Coronavirus Pandemic
- You, COVID-19, and Your Farm Business
- Cornell Small Farms Program Resource Page
- COVID-19 Emerging and Preparedness Practices - From Feeding America
- Distribution of Emergency Food During a Pandemic - (on Influenza but relevant for those planning)
- Food not a source of coronavirus transmission
- OSHA guidelines on respiratory protection
- Hudson Valley CSA Coalition LIVE DOCUMENT: CSA and COVID
- Resources for Farmers/Rural Communities COVID 19 LIVE DOCUMENT
- Frequently Asked Questions on Coronavirus and Food from USDA
- General Food Safety - English and Spanish
- Economic Impact Assessment: Mitigating Immediate Harmful Impacts of COVID-19 on Farmers and Ranchers Selling Through Local and Regional Food Markets
- Coronavirus and the food industry - Live Blog
- What the Coronavirus in China Shows Us About Food System Resilience
- WHO - Situation Report 32, Food Related Considerations, pg. 2
- How to Protect Yourself From Coronavirus When Grocery Shopping
- NSAC Memo: Local and Regional Food Markets and the COVID-19 Response
- Food (systems) in the time of Coronavirus
- Frequently Asked Questions on Coronavirus and Food from USDA
- Young farmers resources to Covid
- Handling COVID-19 at Community Gardens
- Frequently Asked Questions on CoronavirAnswers to Frequently Asked Questions About Community Garden Management of Covid-19
- Fresh markets are not to blame for the new corona virus outbreak (Supermarket Watch Asia editorial)
- Resources for Restaurants and Workers Coping with the COVID-19 Emergency
- Food Industry Coronavirus Collaboration Resources
- Distribution of Emergency Food During a Pandemic - (on Influenza but relevant for those planning)