Funding Resources for Farmers Recovering from Disaster
Several federal and state programs and foundations provide financial support for farmers impacted by or recovering from disaster.
Federal Resources for Producers:
- Farm Service Agency (FSA) Emergency Farm Loans
Agricultural operators in all counties designated as natural disaster areas may qualify for low-interest Emergency loans of up to $500,000 through the FSA. Get more details from USDA’s Disaster Designation Information. Farmers and ranchers in designated counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for an Emergency loan to help cover part of their actual losses. To verify the deadline for application in your area and to apply, contact your county's FSA office.
The FSA also has a Livestock Forage Disaster Program. Use FSA’s eligibility tool to find out if you are eligible for livestock forage disaster assistance.
- USDA's Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP)
NAP provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory, or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters.
- USDA's Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)
The ECP helps farmers and ranchers repair damage to farmlands caused by natural disasters and put in place methods for water conservation during severe drought. The ECP does this by giving ranchers and farmers funding and assistance to repair the damaged farmland or to install methods for water conservation.
- USDA Disaster Assistance Programs
USDA offers a variety of programs and services to help communities, farmers, ranchers, and businesses that have been hard hit by Hurricanes and other natural disaster events.
- USDA Storm Resources
USDA is prepared to provide food, emergency housing, community, as well as farmer and rancher assistance to individuals and small businesses affected by severe storms and flooding. USDA continues to work with states affected by severe storms and flooding regarding requests for various assistance, waivers, and flexibilities in administering federal nutrition assistance programs.
- USDA's Disaster Debt Set-Aside Program
When FSA borrowers located in designated disaster areas or contiguous (adjoining) counties are unable to make their scheduled payments on any FSA debt, FSA is authorized to consider set-aside of some payments to allow the operation to continue.
Federal Resources for Individuals, Businesses, and Households:
- The Individuals and Households Program (IHP)
The IHP provides financial help or direct services to those who have necessary expenses and serious needs if they are unable to meet the needs through other means.
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)
The DUA program provides unemployment benefits to individuals who have become unemployed as a direct result of a Presidentially declared major disaster.
- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
SBA provides low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters. SBA disaster loans can be used to repair or replace the following items damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster: real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, and inventory and business assets.
State-Specific Programs:
- Colorado:
- Texas:
- Texas Farm Bureau
- Texas FFA Disaster Relief
- The Star Fund (State of Texas Agriculture Relief Fund) was created solely with monetary donations from private individuals and companies. STAR Fund money may be used to assist farmers and ranchers in rebuilding fences, restoring operations and paying for other agricultural disaster relief. If you’d like to help folks impacted by the wildfire, floods or tornadoes, consider making a donation to the State of Texas Agriculture Relief, or STAR Fund.
- Missouri:
- The Missouri Agriculture Disaster Relief Fund was announced by the Missouri Department of Agriculture to help Missouri farmers recover from severe storms, floods, and tornadoes that impact thousands of families and businesses each year. The Missouri Agriculture Disaster Relief Fund will address the immediate needs of farm families, extend grants to non-profit organizations for infrastructure repair and clean-up, and help individuals or organizations with major disaster grants.
Foundation programs for disaster relief:
- FarmAid Family Farm Disaster Fund
As farmers and ranchers pick up the pieces and work to rebuild in the wake of natural disasters like hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires, the financial, physical, and emotional weight of navigating recovery can be overwhelming. Farm Aid is here to help.
COVID-19 Resources:
Financial Assistance
- Financial Help for Businesses – State of California list of state and federal resources
- Coronavirus Relief Options – by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Includes information on Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) (click here to apply) and SBA Debt Relief.
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Orientación y recursos de préstamos para las pequeñas empresas – por la U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Incluye enlace al Ocupaciones de asistencia depués de un desastre
- California Farmlink – California Farmlink is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) whose purpose as a CDFI is to provide access to business capital for underserved communities. Information also available en español and in Hmong.
- California FarmLink – Agricultores y ganaderos: FarmLink está aquí para ayudar.
- Préstamos
- Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Resources for Employers and Workers – by State of California Labor & Workforce Development Agency. Translate button on page will translate information into dozens of languages.
- Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Recursos para empleadores y trabajadores – by State of California Labor & Workforce Development Agency. La página se puede ver en más de 100 idiomas, incluido el español.
- Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) – California unemployment insurance, disability insurance, and caregiving leave information related to COVID-19 by the California Employment Development Department.
- Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) – (en Español) Información incluida recursos para empleadores, trabajadores y recursos adicionales, California Employment Development Department.
- USDA Farm Service Agency loan programs
- USDA Rural Development COVID-19 Response in the areas of housing, utilities, and deferrals on certain loan repayments
Health and Safety
- Housing for Agricultural Workers is a State of California program that offers temporary hotel housing to agricultural workers who need to isolate due to COVID-19. It is currently being offered in Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Madera, Monterey, Riverside, Sacramento, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Yolo counties.
Workplace:
Cal/OSHA Infection Prevention for Agricultural Employers and Employees
English | Español | 中文 (Chinese) | Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
- COVID-19 & the Workplace – California Dept. of Public Health
- U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace
- COVID-19 Worker Protection Video – Infection Prevention for Agricultural Workers/Guía de Cal/OSHA para la Prevención de Infecciones por el Covid-10 para Trabajadores Agrícolas –videos por/by Cal/OSHA
- English (Video Transcript)
- Español (transcripción de video en español)
- Mixteco (Mixteco Video Transcript)
- COVID-19 Recursos para la Agricultura – by the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety at UC Davis
- COVID-19 Resources for Agriculture – by the Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety at UC Davis
Food Safety
Farms:
- Employee Health and Food Safety Checklist for Human and Animal Food Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic – Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- COVID-19 Resources – by Western Regional Center to Enhance Food Safety at Oregon State University. Desplácese hacia abajo para encontrar los recursos en español.
- COVID-19 Food Safety Resources: Consumers, Food Service, Growers, Industry, Retail – by UC Cooperative Extension
Handlers/Processors:
- COVID-19 Food Safety Resources: Consumers, Food Service, Growers, Industry, Retail – by UC Cooperative Extension
- The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Food Industry Resources – by the Institute for Food Safety at Cornell University
Community/Industry-Specific
- COVID-19 Resources – Western Growers
- Coronavirus News and Resources – by the California Strawberry Commission
Family Farms:
- COVID-19 Resources – by CAFF/Farmers’ Guild
- Supporting farmers and food systems during COVID-19 – by Ecological Farming Association
- COVID-19 resources – by ATTRA. Incluye recursos en español.
- COVID-19 Resources – by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Other Community Groups:
- COVID-19 CWC Community Resources Fact Sheet – by the Community Water Center
- CWC Hoja de Recursos COVID-19 – by the Community Water Center
Government Guidance
- California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for Food and Agriculture. Page can be viewed in over 100 languages including Spanish and Hmong.
- COVID-19 Guidance Documents – Links to comprehensive guidance from California Public Health Officer, state departments and agencies, the federal Center for Disease Control, and counties.
U.S. Department of Agriculture:
- COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide
- Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
- Rural Development COVID-19 Response
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
Food and Drug Administration (FDA):