Farmers: Need Help Covering Your Covid-19 Business Costs?

(Español abajo)

Looking for a way to cover costs — particularly those driven by market changes —  incurred during the pandemic? The new Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant Program may be a good fit for you. The U.S. Department of Agriculture designed PRS to cover a very wide range of new market and health safety costs for farmers and local food systems that haven’t been covered by previous federal aid; new costs associated with farmers markets and CSAs may be a good fit. 

Who is eligible: Farmers or producers, food processors, distributors, and food hubs that meet the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) “small business” size standards; and all farmers markets

Costs covered: PRS covers costs up to $20,000, incurred between January 27, 2020 and December 31, 2021, to respond to and protect workers against the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are eligible for reimbursement. These include costs to:

  • Implement workplace safety measures to protect workers against COVID-19 (e.g., personal protective equipment, thermometers, cleaning supplies, sanitizer, hand washing stations, or air filters)
  • Pivot markets to protect workers against COVID–19 (e.g., developing online platforms, create a new webpage or online presence, new print materials)
  • Retrofit facilities for worker and consumer safety (e.g., installing farmers market for farm stand protective barriers, heat lamps, fans, or tents)
  • Provide additional transportation options to maintain social distancing for workers and consumers (e.g., new CSA costs, new packaging materials or food delivery)
  • Provide health services to protect staff or workers against COVID-19 (e.g. offer or enable vaccinations or offer paid leave due to infection)

Receipts are not required at time of submission but you should have them available and be prepared for a potential audit or spot check. If you may be interested, immediately register for a DUNS number (assuming you don’t have one); it only takes a few minutes to set-up online, but approval may take several days. 

To check eligibility, get a DUNS number, view frequently asked questions, and to apply, visit: https://usda-prs.grantsolutions.gov

Application deadline: November 22, 2021, 8:59 p.m. Pacific Time

Recursos Adicionales (Recursos en Español) 

El programa de subvencion para respuestas y seguridad ante pandemias (PRS por sus siglas en inlgés) proporciona fondos para procesadores de alimentos, distribuidores, mercados agrícolas y productores para responder al Coronavirus, incluidas medida para proteger a los trabajadores contra el nuevo Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

AMS ha preparado recursos en español para solicitantes de habla hispana.  

 

Much of the above content is drawn from our National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, a leading advocate for food systems changes in Washington, DC. 

Evan Wiig
Author: Evan Wiig

Evan Wiig is the Director of Membership & Communications for CAFF and the founder of The Farmers Guild. A community organizer with a passion for regenerative agriculture, over the past fifteen years he's worked on California farms and ranches, managed community gardens in the heart of Brooklyn and has written journalism on issues of local food and farming. Contact him at evan@caff.org or 415-710-5692