Note: All NOFA-NY staff are working remotely until further notice. Due to phased reopening of NYS economy, select on-site inspections will begin occurring alongside virtual inspections for eligible operations. On-site inspections may only be performed following the NOFA-NY On-Site Inspection Safety Plan. Please see our News Updates page for more information on inspections.
For upcoming webinars hosted by NOFA chapters and other partner organizations, check out the calendar on our homepage.
Funding & Services
- Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP): FSA is now accepting CFAP applications through an online portal producers with secure USDA login credentials—known as eAuthentication—can certify eligible commodities online, digitally sign applications and submit directly to the local USDA Service Center. Producers who do not have an eAuthentication account can learn more and begin the enrollment process at farmers.gov/sign-in. Currently, the digital application is only available to sole proprietors or single-member business entities.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in New York is hosting two meetings about the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The first meeting will be Wednesday, August 5 at 7pm, and the second will be Thursday, August 6 at 10 am.
The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) is available to farmers and ranchers whose commodity prices have been directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. CFAP provides direct relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19. The meetings will highlight program information and discuss the application process.
Both meetings will present the same material, they are just being offered at two separate times to provide producers options on which to attend. The meetings will be available to attend online or with a conference call phone number. Please email Lynnette.wright@usda.gov to receive a calendar invite to the webinars, or follows these links at the appropriate times:
- Wednesday, August 5th at 7pm or call: 347-690-4420; Conference ID: 498 402 089#
- Thursday, August 6th at 10 am or call: 347-690-4420; Conference ID: 478 383 664#
- Additional links:
- To see if you’re eligible and access a list of required forms, visit https://www.farmers.gov/cfap
- This program is administered through Farm Service Agency (FSA). Click here for a directory of New York FSA offices.
- CFAP FAQs
- Payment Calculator
- Paycheck Protection Program: The Small Business Administration will continue accepting Paycheck Protection Program applications through August 8. SBA program; agricultural producers are eligible to participate in this program and should reach out to their bankers and/or agricultural lenders to apply immediately.
- Overview of the PPP program
- Information for prospective borrower
- Application form
- Find your local SBA field office here to contact a Lender Relations Specialist.
- SBA has a list of approved lenders by state here.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance: The Small Business Administration is accepting applications for EIDL for agricultural businesses only as of May 4. Farmers and other agricultural enterprises are now eligible for the EIDL program. The EIDL advance program will issue grants of up to $10,000 that do not need to repaid. Funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Unlike PPP, applications for the EIDL program are made directly to SBA. Apply here.
- Guide to COVID-19 Relief from Farmer’s Legal Action Group (FLAG)
- The COVID-19 Legal Support Project is providing pro bono legal services to New York State’s farmers and food, beverage, and agricultural businesses, through the Food and Beverage Law Clinic at Elisabeth Haub School of Law and by attorneys at Shearman & Sterling LLP. Learn more here.
- FAQ on Funding Programs Available to Small and Mid-Size Farms in Response to COVID-19 from Food and Beverage Law Clinic at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University
- CCOF’s Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund provides direct financial assistance exclusively to organic producers who suffer financial losses due to extreme hardship Award amounts range from $1,000-$2,500. Applications due May 25. Learn more here.
- Producers interested in donating excess product to food banks can contact FarmLink here.
Technical Assistance
- Allowed Detergents and Sanitizers for Food Contact Surfaces and Equipment from NOFA-NY Certified Organic, LLC
- Safety plan template from NYS Department of Health
- How to build a portable handwashing station from the National Young Farmers Coalition
- Guidance for farms creating safety plans from the Agricultural Justice Project
- Heat and COVID-19 guidance from the Global Heat Health Information Network
- “Stop the spread” posters available in multiple languages from the NYSDOH (scroll down to the bottom of the page for printable PDFs)
- Farmers Guide to Direct Sales Software Platforms from the National Young Farmers Coalition
- Resources for CSA Farmers from the CSA Innovation Network
- COVID Resource Hub from Farm Credit East – including helpful information on applying for SBA programs
- Food & Land Sovereignty Resource List for COVID-19 compiled by Soul Fire Farm, Black Farmer Fund, and Northeast Farmers of Color
- Best practices for U-Pick farms from Cornell University
- Recommendations for food businesses from the Food Marketing Institute
- Recommendations for farmers markets from the Farmers Market Coalition
- Food Industry Resources from the Institute for Food Safety at Cornell University
- Consumer FAQs are also available on this site.
- Considerations for Fruit and Vegetable Growers Related to Coronavirus & COVID-19 from UVM Extension
- Stress management resources from NY FarmNet
- Social Media Guide for Farmers from the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project
Webinar Recordings
- Farmers Market Coalition webinar on Farmers Markets Physical Redesign for COVID-19: recording available here.
- Farmers Market Coalition webinar on 2020 FNS EBT Equipment Grant Program: recording available here.
- Farm Credit East webinar on the Paycheck Protection Program: recording and presentation PDF available here.
- Oregon Tilth webinar on online sales platforms for farmers (Barn2Door, Harvie, Local Food Marketplace, and Open Food Network): recording available here.
- Farm Commons webinar on unemployment benefits for farmers affected by COVID-19: recording available here.
State and Federal Guidance
- COVID-19: Guidance and Resources for the Ag Community from NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
- Official policy updates from New York State
- Guidance from NYS on “essential businesses”
Shop Local
- Essex County: Food Delivery and Curbside Options
- Madison County: Curbside Pickup Program at Extension
- Tompkins County (h/t to Groundswell for these resources):
- Farms Serving Tompkins County (many with farm store pick up and delivery options)
- MeatSuite – a tool from Cornell Cooperative Extension to find local farms that sell chicken, pork, beef and more, direct to the consumer.
- List of CSA programs from Modern Farmer
- Visit your neighborhood co-op – they source lots of products directly from local farms!
- 4th Street Food Co-op in Manhattan
- Abundance Food Co-op in Rochester
- African Heritage Food Co-op in Buffalo and Niagara Falls
- Central Brooklyn Food Co-op in Brooklyn
- East Aurora Cooperative Market in East Aurora
- Electric City Food Co-op in Schenectady
- Flatbush Food Co-op in Brooklyn
- Greene Hill Food Co-op in Brooklyn
- GreenStar Natural Foods Market in Ithaca
- High Falls Food Co-op in High Falls
- Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany
- Hungry Hollow Co-op in Chestnut Ridge
- Kaaterskill Farm Natural Storehouse in Catskill and Hudson
- Lexington Co-op in Buffalo
- Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn
- Syracuse Cooperative Market in Syracuse
