The US Department of Agriculture has developed a website specifically to assist farmers whose operations have been directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The site includes a lot of helpful information, specifically about the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) which provides direct relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19.
NJFB presented testimony opposing S2602 – a wide reaching farm worker protection bill at a Senate Committee hearing yesterday. Despite opposition from both Farm Bureau and The State Board of Agriculture, the committee moved the legislation forward. The next voting session of the full Senate is July 30; others are planned during August. A companion Assembly bill to S-2602 has already been introduced (A-4404) and is poised for review in the Assembly Labor Committee. A special appropriations bill for $5 million to off-set farmer expenses of covid compliance accompanies S-2602.
The Aug. 8 deadline for applying for a Paycheck Protection Program loan is quickly approaching and there’s still about $130 billion remaining of the $660 billion authorized by Congress. If you’re one of the millions of small-business owners who haven’t applied, then you could be making a big mistake.
The American Farmland Trust recently released a “State of the States” report on farmland conversion.
This report is part of American Farmland Trust’s multi-year initiative to document the status of and threats to U.S. farmland and ranchland and to identify policy solutions to ensure the protection and conservation of America’s diverse agricultural landscape.
All NJ agricultural employers are invited to learn directly from NJ Departments of Health, Labor and Agriculture who will discuss expectations for implementation of the “NJ COVID-19 Guidance for Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers, Their Employers & Housing Providers” document in a Webex webinar hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 from 7:30 PM- 9:30 PM.
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The webinar is free to attend but you must register.
The NJDOH partnered with the NJDA and the NJDOL to create this guidance for agricultural employers focusing on precautions to help protect farm employees from COVID-19 on New Jersey farms and in farm labor housing. This webinar will review these guidelines. Questions from participants will be taken and addressed during the webinar.
A new advisory document about action “to protect agriculture workers from the coronavirus” is available. It was developed jointly by the CDC and the US Department of Labor-OSHA.
To assist farm operators in the provision of COVID-19 education, the NJ Department of Health has created a set of signs that may be printed and hung in common areas on farms. The signs were developed with low literacy in mind, contain few words, and provide basic information about face coverings, hand hygiene, social distancing, and where to get more information about COVID-19. Each sign is available in English as well as Spanish, Creole, Cambodian, French, Simplified Chinese, and Portuguese.
Most New Jersey farmers already know of the necessity to employ personal protective equipment (PPE) for the 2020 growing season. Facial coverings/masks, gloves, hand sanitizers are being used along with social distancing standards to meet New Jersey’s emergency management expectations during the coronavirus pandemic. These requirements are likely to endure for the entire summer through Labor Day, so sourcing PPE on a regular basis should not be underestimated. As a farmer, do you have a reliable source to go to?
One suggestion for those searching for PPE use on the farm is to contact a local janitorial supply vendor. Those are usually established businesses within reasonable proximity for pick-up or delivery to establish a direct relationship. Many of them have ramped up their purchasing activity to meet COVID-related customer demand.
Secondarily, there are companies at large serving the state and adjoining region who can be a source of PPE. An example: General Chemical & Supply of Moorestown, NJ 858 No. Lenola Rd.; 856-778-5550; (www.generalchemicalsupply.com) is ready to do business with NJFB members. See price list below:
NJDA Secretary Douglas Fisher released a letter today urging everyone to help support the New Jersey floriculture industry by purchasing flowers and plants from local greenhouses, nurseries and garden centers.
