COVID-19 Impact on Farm Businesses in New York - a podcast by CCE ENYCH Team

Agricultural Business Management specialist Liz Higgins discusses some of the impacts of COVID-19 on farms in New York. Higgins clarifies the designation of horticultural operations as essential businesses, talks about social distancing protocols for retail operations, discusses impacts on H2A visa employees, and presents some financial resources for farms suffering financial loss due to the pandemic.

If you have questions or recommendations for topics to cover on future episodes focused on COVID-19, please email eg572@cornell.edu or call (845) 293-3832 and leave a message.

Resources:

Cornell COVID-19 Resources:
General Questions & Links:
https://eden.cce.cornell.edu/
Food Production, Processing & Safety Questions:
https://instituteforfoodsafety.cornell.edu/coronavirus-covid-19/
Employment & Agricultural Workforce Questions:
http://agworkforce.cals.cornell.edu/
Cornell Small Farms Resiliency Resources:
https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/resources/farm-resilience/
Financial & Mental Health Resources for Farmers:
https://www.nyfarmnet.org/

Interim Guidance for Horticulture (March 24) NYS Ag and Markets https://agriculture.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/03/guidanceforthehorticultureindustry.pdf

Link to request designation as an “essential business” in NYS (only for businesses not covered by exemptions under Executive Order 202.6) https://esd.ny.gov/content/request-designation-essential-business-purposes-executive-order-2026

Updates from USDA on H2A visa situation due to COVID-19 https://www.farmers.gov/manage/h2a

COVID-19 and Your Produce Farm webinar April 2nd from 10-11:30: Steps that produce farm managers and individuals working with fruit and vegetable farms should consider to protect their workforce, their business, and their markets https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_i_YI5CX8QXmEMHO2GLKKiA

Guidance from New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets on Cleaning and Disinfection of Food Retail Stores:
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/03/cleaningfoodstorescovid-19.pdf

Guidance from the New York Farmers’ Market Federation:
http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/wp-content/uploads/Covid-19-Guidelines-for-Farmers-Markets-updated.pdf

American Farmland Trust Farmer Relief Fund: Grants for up to $1,000 per farm
https://farmland.org/farmer-relief-fund/

Ulster County Project Resilience:
https://ulstercountyny.gov/sites/default/files/documents/environment/Project%20Resilience_Guidelines%20for%20Restaurants_3.18.20.pdf

Small Business Association Disaster Loan Assistance:
https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela

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