Right now, $12 million for small farm disaster relief as well as $14 million meant to support local food hubs are at risk getting completely eliminated from the state budget. But by signing on to our letter today, you can help tell state leaders that these investments are simply too important to cut.
Background:
Emergency relief for small and underserved farmers impacted by recent climate disasters:
In recent years, many farmers have been impacted by climate disasters, from drought and floods to extreme pest infestations. Unfortunately, for small diversified local food-producing farmers, there has been little financial support at the federal or state level to help them get back on their feet. Most of these farmers do not have access to crop insurance programs or any form of financial safety net. We recommend funds be directed to CDFA’s California Underserved & Small Producer (CUSP) program, which proven to be a successful pathway to provide meaningful direct financial relief for farmers in crisis. These climate disasters will continue and cutting the funding will only result in a continued loss of California’s local food producers.