May 5, 2020

US Small Business Admin Opens Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Programs to Agriculture

Today the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that agricultural businesses are now eligible for SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs. The EIDL portal reopened today as a result of funding authorized by Congress through the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmers and ranchers are encouraged to apply immediately.

Only agricultural businesses are eligible to apply through the reopened EIDL portal. Agricultural businesses include those engaged in the production of food and fiber, ranching and raising of livestock, aquaculture, and all other farming and agriculture-related industries. All eligible agricultural businesses with 500 or fewer employees should begin preparing the financial information necessary for the application process.

Eligible agricultural businesses can apply for the EIDL loan here.

For agriculture producers who submitted an EIDL application prior to this change, the SBA will continue to process these applications; there is no need to apply again. All other EIDL loan applications that were submitted before the portal stopped accepting new applications on April 15 will be processed on a first-in, first-out basis. This expanded access for agriculture to the EIDL program is in addition to existing access for farmers and ranchers to the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program, which can be applied for here.

For more information, agriculture producers may visit the SBA.gov disaster assistance page.

(Based on press release from Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.)

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May 5, 2020

Sourcing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Your Farm Employees

PPE suppliers have been backlogged with orders for N95 facemasks, hand sanitizers, disinfectants and disposable gloves. Sourcing supplies for your essential agricultural workers may be a challenge. NJ Farm Bureau, with assistance of staff from Congressman Van Drew’s office, have been compiling lists of local and regional businesses that are able to supply PPE equipment (see table below).

Vendor Dave McDonough at General Chemical and Supply in Moorestown, strongly recommends farmers should “act fast”! Expect that as other businesses resume operations (i.e. reopen), demand will spike and cause delays. With this in mind, Pete Furey, NJ Farm Bureau Executive Director, suggests farmers should not sit on their hands and order at least a month’s supply of what is needed from where ever they regularly purchase PPE supplies.

Recognizing the rapid tightening of PPE supplies, the Fruit and Vegetable Assoc (FFVA) participated in a working group with the Dept of Homeland Security, FEMA and the FEMA Supply Chain Stabilization Task Force to prioritize and elevate the needs of the agricultural/food sector to gain access to additional personal protection equipment, as well as disinfectants and sanitation supplies, to protect the health and safety of employees within the ag sector. Attached is a spreadsheet shared by the FFVA listing additional sources of PPE and sanitation/disinfectant supplies.

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Lastly, in emergency situations, if farms cannot get PPE mask/gloves for their workers, they should contact their county Office of Emergency Management (OEM) who can request supplies from the Regional Operations Intelligence Center (ROIC). This is the public-private emergency response unit within the State Police emergency management headquarters that is handling the state supply of PPE.
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Sources of PPE Equipment & Supplies

Company Products Contact Address Phone Email
General Chemical & Supply masks David McDonough

858 North Lenola Road, Unit 1A

Moorestown NJ 08057

 856 778 5550 DMcDonough@GCSNJ.US

For ordering: Shannon@GCSNJ.US
Valken Sports masks Rob Pierce 856-207-2983
LD innovations masks David Reynolds 856-287-1602 Dir0614@gmail.com
Evolution – St. Louis hazmat suits, masks,  gowns, hand sanitizer & wipes John Elmuccio 908-868-8284 jelmuccio@evolutionstl.com

www.evolutionstl.com
Care and Wear masks, gloves, goggles, gowns Chaitenya Razdan 800-410-5505 (office)

509-356-9128 (fax)

 crazdan@careandwear.com

www.careandwear.com
Gempler’s masks, gloves, goggles, gowns 800-382-8473 gemplers.com

 

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April 29, 2020

USDA ‘Farmers to Families Food Box Program’ Info Webinar TODAY at 2pm for Farmers, Shippers, Suppliers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will host a webinar on Wednesday, April 29, 2020, at 2 p.m. ET, for farmers, shippers and other suppliers interested in learning more about the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. This webinar is an opportunity for these parties to learn how to supply produce, dairy and meat products to vendors supplying food boxes to non-profits and other entities feeding hungry Americans.

Register for the Webinar HERE.

Additionally, AMS, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), published Frequently Asked Questions for non-profit organizations seeking to receive food through the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.

Frequently Asked Questions are answered here.

More information is available on the Farmers to Families Food Box Program webpage.

Additional questions may be submitted to USDAFoodBoxDistributionProgram@usda.gov.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , ,
April 28, 2020

NJ Dept of Agriculture Memo RE: Labor Housing Guidance Forthcoming

We’ve been asked to share the attached memo from NJDA Secretary Fisher regarding guidance on ag labor housing as it relates to COVID 19.

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April 24, 2020

TODAY at Noon! E-commerce During COVID-19 Webinar

My apologies for the last minute notice as I missed forwarding this earlier in the week. Gal Hochman, Rutgers Professor of Agriculture, Food, & Resource Economics, and current President of the Northeast Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, shared the following webinar announcement to assist agricultural producers in exploring online marketing opportunities. The meeting is co-sponsored by her association and The Council on Food, Agricultural & Resource Economics.
In my rush to get this to you, the links in the attachment below may be broken so please Register Here.

WEBINAR

E-Commerce During COVID-19: Opportunities for Food Producers

to Make Direct Market Sales Online

Friday, April 24, at 12:00 p.m. EST

The Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (C-FARE) along with the Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association (NAREA), will host a free webinar at 12 p.m. EST April 24 to discuss the value of e-commerce for farmers, food gatekeepers and retailers at a moment when customers are shifting their buying habits overnight to minimize exposure to COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a situation that is rapidly changing, with guidance for safe gathering thresholds dwindling from thousands, to hundreds, to fewer than 10. The isolation and uncertainty have precipitated changes in consumers’ shopping behaviors, from bulk-buying to e-commerce and more. Limiting in-store interactions is now a chief comparative advantage.

This webinar will discuss ways farmers, food gatekeepers and retailers can benefit (or hedge their losses) by adapting to consumers’ behavioral changes. C-FARE board member and Rutgers University economist Gal Hochman will moderate the 45-minute discussion. He will be joined by three panelists.
  • Jeffrey O’Hara will discuss what USDA Agricultural Marketing Service resources are available for producers to develop e-commerce sales, the latest data and research, along with examples of ways farmers have migrated online. He is an AMS specialist.
  • Chyi Lyi “Kathleen” Liang will discuss various online platforms, the merits of using digital sales strategies, and sample innovative aggregated venues online. She is the W. K. Kellogg Distinguished Professor of Sustainable Agriculture and the director of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
  • Gary Matteson will talk about the need for business planning with clear goals for inputs such as time and money, and clear expectations for sales and profitability when approaching new markets. He is vice president for Young, Beginning, Small Farmer Programs and Outreach at the Farm Credit Council.

The webinar will conclude with questions from attendees. Those who register but cannot attend will be invited to view a recording of the webinar at a later date. Please join C-FARE and the NAREA for this special program.

The Vision of the Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics

Catalyzing informed decisions through applied economics.

The Council on Food Agricultural & Resource Economics, 502 C Street NE, Washington, DC, 20002, United States
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April 16, 2020

COVID-19: PESTICIDE EXAMS CANCELLED **NJDEP ALERTS **

Rutgers is providing you this courtesy announcement regarding pesticide certification exams from the Bureau of Licensing and Registration of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). Bureau of Licensing & Registrations. Posted by NJDEP to https://www.state.nj.us/dep/enforcement/pcp/bpo-examschedule.htm. **REVISED ALERT (issued April 14, 2020)** All Pesticide Certification Exams have been CANCELLED due to the ongoing COVID-19 emergency. Applicants […]
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