The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) is actively working to be the voice of Georgia’s produce industry.
Agricultural workers are essential. The Georgia Department of Public Health is working to create a plan to get your agricultural workers vaccinated.
The GFVGA wants COVID-19 vaccines available to them at the earliest possible date and needs your help.
Most of the decisions about how the vaccinations will be distributed will be made at the local level by the Georgia health department staff and district director as well as local hospitals, pharmacies, etc. The information that the GFVGA hopes to gather via a survey will be used to help inform local Georgia health districts about the overall essential Ag worker presence they will have in their district during the Spring 2021 season. This should include family and full-time employees, as well as seasonal employees made up of domestic, migrant and H-2A employees.
When the plan is enacted in your community, the GFVGA wants to ensure that local officials have the information needed to prioritize vaccinations for Ag workers. Your participation in this brief survey will help GFVGA achieve this critical goal. If you have any questions about how GFVGA has been working for you or how this information will be used, please contact the GFVGA office at (706) 845-8200.
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) asked the Department of Agriculture this week for more flexibility in the use of Specialty Crop Block Grants. NASDA seeks additional flexibility in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 to enhance its response to the continued demands COVID-19 places on the industry.
NASDA CEO Dr. Barb Glenn stated, “challenges impacting our food supply related to COVID-19 are still present, and continued flexibility is needed.”
In a letter to acting USDA Secretary Kevin Shea, Glenn outlined additional ways state agriculture departments could use the grants if given approval. Examples included implementing vaccination programs for agricultural and food workers, building COVID-19 related infrastructure and offsetting increased costs to providing safe worker housing and transportation.
Since the onset of the pandemic, NASDA members have continuously worked to help food producers and workers stay safe and meet their communities’ needs. Through additional and allowed flexibility in funding programs, NASDA members would be able to leverage and maximize local solutions for local recovery efforts.
(From the National Association of Farm Broadcasters)
As vegetable and specialty crop producers near another spring harvest season, marketing their product remains a focal point of their farming operations.
Adam Rabinowitz, Assistant Professor and Extension Economist at Auburn University, implores producers to be better prepared this year amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“I really recommend producers think about their marketing and distribution earlier and really at the forefront. That was one of the things that really caught a lot of people off guard (last year) when large institutions started closing down, and restaurants were closing down. It became more and more difficult to market through those channels,” Rabinowitz said.
“Knowing that, seeing these opportunities, seeing where we are right now, just planning ahead and having contingency plans will be highly recommended.”
Pandemic’s Impact
When the pandemic first impacted the United States last March, it shut down the country, in particular, restaurants. A lot of which, southeast producers sell their produce to.
The lack of a food service option crippled certain sectors of the agriculture industry, including tomatoes. Bob Spencer, President of West Coast Tomato in Palmetto, Florida, said last April that his company farms between 3,500 and 4,000 acres every year. But he was losing 90% of his business. About 70% to 75% of the state’s tomato crop is designated for the food service market.
Florida farmer Paul Allen said in early April that they had left about 2 million pounds of green beans and 5 million pounds of cabbage in the field just because the demand had diminished.
As the pandemic continues to be problematic across the country, producers should be better prepared for what to expect and know what worked and what didn’t work.
Farmers like Bill Brim in Georgia boxed their produce and sold direct to consumers to offset decreased demand. While it did not completely offset the decreased demand, it provided consumers a chance to buy local and raise awareness about buying local especially during a time of crisis. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) was another option that paid off for some producers.
The second round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) offers financial relief to business owners continuing to struggle amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., encourages vegetable and specialty crop producers to consider enrolling in the program.
Redding
“We also have a second round of the Paycheck Protection Program. If you participated the first round, you ought to consider it again. If you didn’t participate in the first round of PPP, you can still participate in the second round. There are no prohibitions there. It’s a little broader than before, a little more restrictive in some areas. But the criteria used for the forgiveness portion of the loan include more items,” Redding said.
Paycheck Protection Program Information
According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), along with the Treasury Department will re-open the PPP loan portal to PPP-eligible lenders with $1 billion or less in assets for First and Second Draw applications on Friday, Jan. 15 at 9 a.m. The portal will open to all participating PPP lenders on Tuesday, Jan. 19 to submit First and Second Draw loan applications to the SBA.
According to the U.S. Department of Treasury press release, First Draw PPP Loans are for borrowers who have not received a PPP loan before August 8, 2020. The first round of PPP ran from March to August 2020. Second Draw PPP Loans are for eligible small businesses with 300 employees or less, that previously received a First Draw PPP Loan, will use or have used the full amount only for authorized uses, and that can demonstrate at least a 25% reduction in gross receipts between comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020. The maximum amount of a Second Draw PPP loan is $2 million.
Throughout the food supply chain, producers, processors, distributors, wholesalers and retailers seek economies of scale and scope to improve profit margins, while delivering safe, consistent, reliable and relatively low-cost foods to consumers. At the farm level, owners make decisions to minimize production and harvesting costs, relying on human resources and scientific advances to address the dynamic uncertainties unique to the agricultural industry.
During the 2020 global pandemic, every individual, household, company and government had to adjust day-to-day behaviors. Yet nationwide, few food shortages occurred, and minimal increases in prices have been documented to date. The U.S. agricultural industry continued to provide healthy and safe food, due in large part to the adaptability of farmworkers, supervisors and owners.
Workers labor long hours in physically demanding conditions, with paychecks dependent on speedy, accurate and careful handling of fruits and vegetables to ensure high-quality, safe produce is delivered to buyers. The economic implications of the highly transmissible coronavirus range from short-term negative impacts on worker health and farm profitability to the immeasurable losses of life.
To proactively educate farm owners, supervisors and workers on how best to do their jobs under pandemic conditions and preserve their health and livelihood, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Farm Labor Supervisor COVID-19 Safety Training program was developed.
With decades of experience educating nearly 1,500 farm labor supervisors on how best to protect farmworkers’ lives, the training team has delivered six webinars in both Spanish and English to 775 participants. The training consists of three sections:
PART 1: WHAT IS THE CORONAVIRUS OR COVID-19?
Motivated by the trainers’ observations that farmworkers tend to distrust technology used in the fields (for instance, the scan systems that track production), this section addresses their concerns by sharing information regarding the COVID-19 testing and health-monitoring procedures specific to agricultural operations.
Picnic benches with barriers help protect farmworkers from COVID-19 during lunch breaks.
Farmworkers often fail to recognize COVID-19 symptoms and/or don’t think it is a problem that will affect their health as many are relatively young and work primarily outdoors. To mitigate this prevailing mindset, general information is included about the virus, whom it targets, Florida statistics, typical symptoms, case studies and transmission examples.
Ag-related COVID-19 cases are shared to relay facts that the disease is a real and persistent threat to the health and wellbeing of farmworkers, and to communicate that there are things workers can do to protect themselves and others. Florida Department of Health statewide COVID-19 infection and mortality rates by ethnicity, age and county are shared to show the real-time relevance and impact of the virus on communities.
PART 2: COVID IN AGRICULTURE
Building on Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, UF/IFAS experts apply their firsthand knowledge of the day-to-day working environment on Florida’s farms and share best practice recommendations to help protect farmworkers’ lives. As local and state agencies work to provide farmworker access to COVID-19 testing sites, this information is shared. Supervisors are encouraged to adopt prevention and control tips and to post CDC-approved worker education resources in appropriate languages. The training stresses the importance of practicing social distancing, wearing masks and handwashing both on and off the farm.
PART 3: PROTECTING SUPERVISORS AND WORKERS
Farmworkers are typically paid hourly. Time off due to COVID-19 symptoms or quarantining for 14 days after exposure to a COVID-19-positive coworker results in costs to both the worker and the employer. The employers may need to provide sick pay and find and hire a replacement.
The training provides information on financial support programs from various agencies that are available for both farmworkers and owners to address these concerns. Since harvest practices usually are built around teams working in proximity, creative ways are suggested to complete the work while maintaining social distancing. This includes forming groups that share work assignments and living arrangements to minimize exposure during shift changes.
Also included in this section of the training is the latest CDC general guidelines and the Agricultural Employer Checklist for Creating a COVID-19 Assessment and Control Plan. Other topics covered are:
How to screen workers
The importance of employees reporting to their employers if they begin to feel sick
Areas that put workers at most risk and how to make them safer
Handling sick time
Assigning responsibility to ensure practices are followed
Numerous resource websites
Dates for future training and responses to frequently asked questions related to protecting farmworkers from COVID-19 will be posted on the UF/IFAS Farm Labor Supervisor Training Facebook page (www.facebook.com/FLSTraining15).
Tallahassee, Fla. – Late last night, Congressional leaders agreed upon a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues setting new case records, the bill will provide some direct assistance to families and additional funding for food production and distribution, among other priorities.
On the bill, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried offered the following statement:
“For more than nine months, COVID-19 has upended the lives of Florida’s families, consumers, farmers, and ranchers. State agriculture departments like ours have worked hard to support our citizens through these difficulties, but it’s critical that Congress step up during these unprecedented challenges.
With our growers facing more than half a billion dollars in losses from the pandemic, these payments will help Florida’s agriculture industry continue producing the nation’s food – especially during the winter when our seasonal growers feed 150 million Americans. With unemployment reaching record heights and nearly 1 in 5 Floridians facing food insecurity, ensuring food distribution to those in need, helping families afford food, and supporting child nutrition in schools are essential priorities.
While Congress should pass this bill, this bipartisan legislation isn’t perfect – and it does far too little for struggling families. With Florida the second-worst state for paying unemployment benefits, our citizens need a stronger lifeline during this devastating, hundred-year pandemic. And while corporations make out like bandits with federal aid, we must ensure that our small farmers, small businesses and gig economy workers get the help they deserve.”
The legislation includes estimated funding for the following agricultural and nutrition assistance priorities:
Farmers & Rancher Payments:$5 billion for supplemental payments to row crop producers; up to $3 billion for supplemental payments to eligible cattle, livestock, poultry, and dairy producers; and $225 million for supplemental payments to eligible specialty crop producers;
Other Agriculture Assistance:$100 million for Specialty Crop Block Grants to support seasonal growers; $100 million for the Local Agriculture Market Program to help producers, farmers markets, and food businesses adapt to supply chain issues; $75 million for the Farming Opportunities Training Outreach program to assist minority, tribal, veteran, and beginning farmers; and $28 million for state block grants to support farmer and rancher mental health initiatives
Food Banks & Donations: Overall $1.5 billion for food purchases for distribution to those in need, including $400 million for food banks through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP); $400 million for a Dairy Product Donation Program; $175 million for nutrition services for seniors; and $13 million for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program
Help for Hungry Americans:15% increase in SNAP benefits for six months; $75 million for SNAP participant fruit and vegetable incentives; provide college students access to SNAP; funding for additional online SNAP retailers and state SNAP expenses; expanding child eligibility for Pandemic-EBT; and emergency funding for meal programs in schools and daycares impacted by COVID-19
Background: The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services oversees several nutrition programs in Florida, including the state’s $1.3 billion school lunch program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program for low-income families, and the Summer BreakSpot program that has served 74 million meals to Florida children since March. Commissioner Fried has made nutrition assistance a priority, including requesting the Governor use CARES Act money to support schools that have lost over $260 million in nutrition funding this year. With Florida farmers and ranchers suffering pandemic-related economic losses, FDACS undertook numerous efforts to support the state’s agriculture industry despite federal payments Commissioner Fried criticized as coming too slowly; these included a new online portal connecting farmers and consumers, and emergency orders to help keep eggs and other crops continue reaching consumers amid shortages. Numerous Members of Congress have been critical that that direct aid to families in the proposed relief bill is not enough given continued unemployment and economic difficulties.
The University of Georgia wants feedback from producers impacted by COVID-19. Growers have until Dec. 23 to fill out a survey that will help industry leaders gauge the impact the pandemic has had on Georgia’s agricultural sector.
The survey covers various facets of farming operations that have been altered since the pandemic began in mid-March. This includes commodity prices, disposal or loss of products on the farm, lack of markets, access to working capital, farm labor and international trade.
Another Survey Needed
McCann
Mark McCann, assistant dean for UGA Extension, said an earlier survey was conducted in May after the initial outbreak.
Another one is needed so experts can grasp the total impact the pandemic has had on the state’s No. 1 industry.
“As we’re looking to close the calendar year for 2020, thank goodness, we’d like to look at it from a longer perspective than we did the first survey. A couple of other key things that have happened since the first survey when we inquired of farmers is that the COVID Food Assistance Program (CFAP) 1 and 2 have both come out from FSA (Farm Service Agency),” McCann said. “That’s one of the questions we’ve asked producers in the survey is which federal assistance have they participated in. That was one of the things that got a lot of people’s attention in the first survey is most farmers had not really participated in many programs.
“I’m really very curious to see how many have taken advantage of the CFAP programs.”
The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture, Georgia Farm Bureau, Georgia Department of Agriculture and UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development are jointly sponsoring the survey. Organizers will use the data to document the needs of the agriculture industryand share the summary at the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ 2021 Georgia Ag Forecast, which will be held online Friday, Jan. 29.
Growers take steps to protect farmworkers’ health so they can continue to ensure an abundant, safe food supply is available to U.S. consumers.
Image source: The Pajaronian
It is likely the coronavirus pandemic will be a threat for most of the country next year, even as vaccines have begun to be administered. Vegetable and specialty crop producers are encouraged to be prepared when planning for next season’s harvest, specifically for how to keep their H-2A workers healthy.
Allison Crittenden, Director of Congressional Relations at the American Farm Bureau Federation, says the time is now to make those preparations.
“I think now that employers and farmers realize what steps they need to be taking to provide a safe workplace that hopefully mitigates the spread of the COVID. It’s the last thing anybody wants is an outbreak on their operation. I think if I were a grower going into my next season I would certainly be trying to stock up on masks and sanitizer; taking this time in the offseason to come up with a plan,” Crittenden said.
Knowing What to Expect
Farmers at least now know what to expect. It is a much different feeling than last spring when producers had to adjust on the go to keep their workforce healthy.
“I think when we all first heard about the pandemic, we thought this might be a short-term thing, but I think what we’ve learned is that it’s very long-term and likely will have long-term impacts on how businesses operate moving forward,” Crittenden said.
“I think I would take this time to learn from last season and the quick adaptations that growers had to put in place and use this time to plan accordingly, knowing that we’re still not out of the woods.”
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The coronavirus pandemic occupied space in everyone’s minds this year, prompting online searches about any variety of topics related to it. The year’s most popular UF/IFAS Extension EDIS publications were no exception, with two of the top 10 being brand-new documents related to food safety and the coronavirus.
In all, the Electronic Data Information Source, which hosts peer-reviewed publications from UF/IFAS Extension professionals, saw 17.5 million pageviews this year across the nearly 6,500 publications hosted.
Here are 2020’s 10 most-visited EDIS publications:
The 4-H Plant Connections curriculum, “What Makes Plants Grow?,” is also a popular how-to. Plants need many of the same things people do: light, water, air, nutrients and proper temperature. For more, visit: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/4h360 (103,833)
“Common Poultry Diseases” include respiratory and nonrespiratory viral and bacterial diseases. Learn how to tell the difference: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044 (72,837)
Perhaps related to renewed interest in hygienic practices, “Basic Elements of Equipment Cleaning and Sanitizing in Food Processing and Handling Operations” jumped 15 spots from last year’s ranking. Rinse, clean, rinse and sanitize those contact surfaces, and more tips at edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs077 (68,808)
Central Florida residents: Looking for what to plant and when? The “Central Florida Gardening Calendar” not only provides this info, but also explains specific concerns at certain times of the year, including irrigation, pests and pruning: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep450 (50,846)
The document “COVID-19 and Food Safety FAQ: Is Coronavirus an Issue in Produce Production?” opens addressing a concern: The CDC, FDA and USDA have no reports of human illnesses that suggest coronavirus can be transmitted by food packaging. The document details best practices for facilities: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs351 (48,073)
“COVID-19 FAQ for Grocery Stores: Receiving and Food Packaging” addresses similar concerns and is available as a one-page guideline for grocery stores: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs331 (40,666)
About 50 species of snakes live in the states along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, from Louisiana to North Carolina. They are predators and prey, and thus form important links in natural food webs. “‘Black Snakes’: Identification and Ecology” helps distinguish the easily confused snakes of this region that share a primarily black coloration characteristic: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw251 (39,640)
Although “Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools” has appeared in the top 10 before, this year’s social justice movement could explain an increase in clicks this year. Managerial skills must adapt to a more diverse workplace: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hr022 (37,467)
North Florida residents can learn what ornamentals and vegetables grow well in the region, when to plant them and other important information with the “North Florida Gardening Calendar”: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep451 (36,365)
EDIS, a free service of UF/IFAS Extension, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2021. Find information at edis.ifas.ufl.edu on topics relevant to you: profitable and sustainable agriculture, the environment and natural resources, 4-H and other youth programs, Florida-friendly landscapes, communities that are vibrant and prosperous, economic well-being and quality of life for people and families.
“In a year filled with uncertainty and unexpected changes, we see the value in the public services of UF/IFAS Extension, including EDIS,” said Nick Place, UF/IFAS Extension dean. “We hope the public continues to rely on the expertise of this top-notch, science-based research.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reminds vegetable and specialty crop producers who wish to apply to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) 2 that the deadline is Friday, Dec. 11.
This program provides relief to farmers facing market disruptions and associated costs due to COVID-19.
Rabinowitz
It is a program that Adam Rabinowitz, Assistant Professor and Extension Economist at Auburn University, encourages all eligible farmers to take advantage of.
“CFAP 2 covers a wide range of fruit and vegetables and specialty crops. It’s much broader coverage that’s typical from other government programs. For those that have experienced any type of marketing and production effects as a result of COVID-19, this is an excellent opportunity based on sales, just comparison sales. It’s a self-certification process, so there’s very little paperwork. It’s very easy access to be able to get these funds to assist with covering those losses,” Rabinowitz said.
“It covers such a broad range of specialty crops, well over 200 different specialty crops. I think all fruit and vegetable producers really need to look at this and make sure they get to their FSA office and sign up for this program.”
For More Information
Producers can find eligible commodities, payment rates, calculations and options to apply on farmers.gov/cfap.
CFAP 2 is a separate program from the first iteration of CFAP, now referred to as CFAP 1. Participating in CFAP 1 is not a prerequisite for participating in CFAP 2. Additionally, producers who applied for CFAP 1 will not be automatically enrolled in CFAP 2. They must complete a new application to be eligible for assistance.
