COVID-19 RESPONSE & RESOURCES
FOR CALIFORNIA FAMILY FARMS

With the COVID-19 outbreak spreading and a statewide shelter-in-place order from the Governor, we at CAFF are compiling tips, resources and guideline to help keep you safe, informed and in business during this crisis. We’re also busy advocating in Sacramento to protect our local food system, from assuring our farmers markets are deemed “essential businesses” and remain open to the public to encouraging state support for farmers needing to transition their sales outlets in the face of mass closures of schools, company cafeterias and restaurants. We will continue to update this page, so stay tuned. 

Have you lost sales outlets due to the current crisis? 

Or is your food business looking for new sources of farm products? 

CAFF has created a spreadsheet here designed to match up needs and surplus in the California food system. 

 

Have additional questions or need to speak with someone at CAFF?

Contact us here!

Financial Assistance

Emergency fund to help Calif farmers

AG CLIPS – Effort to support farmers most impacted by COVID-19, economic turmoil. Given the pressing challenges facing California farmers as a result of Covid-19, Community Alliance with Family Farmers

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Podcast: The Families First Act

In this episode, we explore the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family Medical Leave Act, together known as the Families First Act. We unpack each act’s paid

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Employee Paid Leave Rights

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. The

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Paycheck Protection Program

The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by directing $349 billion towards job retention and business operating expenses.

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Economic Injury Disaster Loans

In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, small business owners in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories are eligible to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance of up

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Guide to COVID-19 Loans & forms

If you have suffered substantial economic injury and are one of the following types of businesses located in a declared disaster area, you may be eligible for an SBA Economic Injury

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Farmer Relief Fund

AFT’s Farmer Relief Fund will award farmers with cash grants of up to $1,000 each to help them weather the current storm of market disruptions caused by the coronavirus crisis.

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Food, Farm & Worker Safety

Updated CDC Guidance on Critical Workers

Updated 4/24/20 – To ensure continuity of operations of essential functions, CDC advises that critical infrastructure workers may be permitted to continue work following potential exposure to COVID-19, provided they

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On-Farm Food Safety Webinar

On 4/8/20 CAFF gave a webinar answering dozens of questions on on-farm food safety related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Judith Redmond from Full Belly Farm shared some tips and other

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COVID-19 FAQ for U-Pick Farms

Best practices and steps for farm managers. Employees should use gloves when handling money, or considering using cards to limit transfer of cash. If money is handled, hands should be

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COVID-19 FAQ for Farm Stands

Simple one-pager: steps for farm stand operators. Communicate with customers through signs or social media asking them to stay home if displaying symptoms. Provide hand sanitizer at the front of

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Sales & Marketing Resources

Farm to Family Program

$2 million in USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant funding for CAFB to support harvesting, packing  and shipping of donated specialty crop products. In addition, the state Department of Social Services

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Take Your Local Food Online (Webinar)

Take Your Local Food Online provided practical information and tips from farmers using online sales platforms. Platforms covered in this video include: Woo Commerce — Kat Becker, Cattail Farms Graze

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Direct Sales Software Platforms

This publication highlights product options and sales models that farmers may find helpful. While markets, restaurants, and other food distribution channels close or reduce operations to prevent the spread of

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COVID-19 FAQ for U-Pick Farms

Best practices and steps for farm managers. Employees should use gloves when handling money, or considering using cards to limit transfer of cash. If money is handled, hands should be

Read More »

COVID-19 FAQ for Farm Stands

Simple one-pager: steps for farm stand operators. Communicate with customers through signs or social media asking them to stay home if displaying symptoms. Provide hand sanitizer at the front of

Read More »

Online Sales Platforms for Farmers (video)

Watch this webinar to learn more about direct-to-consumer online sales platforms. Hear from representatives from four online food sales platforms: Barn2Door, Harvie, Local Food Marketplace, Food4All, Open Food Network…

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CSA Tools & Resources During COVID19

With COVID-19 rapidly evolving, we at CAFF are actively compiling CSA-specific tools and information to help farmers adapt, stay safe and continue to provide healthy food for their local communities…

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Coronavirus & CA Farmers Markets

CORONAVIRUS & CA FARMERS MARKETS As the full affects of Covid-19 continue unfolding, we at CAFF are watching closely to find out how this pandemic will impact California family farmers

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Other Business Resources

Updated CDC Guidance on Critical Workers

Updated 4/24/20 – To ensure continuity of operations of essential functions, CDC advises that critical infrastructure workers may be permitted to continue work following potential exposure to COVID-19, provided they

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COVID Update: CA Dept. of Food & Ag

Governor Newsom Action on Unemployment Benefits, Including Undocumented Immigrants On April 15, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-50-20 to support California workers impacted by the Coronavirus, including financial aid to undocumented immigrants. The

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Employee Paid Leave Rights

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. The

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Unemployment Due to COVID-19

What if I have to lay off workers due to slowdowns in my business? Under the recently passed coronavirus relief package (aka “CARES Act”), a new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program

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Employee Transit Letter

On March 19th, Gov. Newsom issued an executive order directing California residents to “Shelter-In-Place.” However, Gov. Newsom’s order allows people employed in critical jobs like food production to move freely

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CAFF Advocacy for Farms & Local Food Systems

2020 CAFF Survey

CAFF’s ANNUAL SURVEY Your voice matters! By taking the time to complete this survey, you help guide CAFF’s work and advocacy to better serve and represent California family farmers, while

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Don’t Let the USDA Leave You Out

ACTION ALERT! As farmers and ranchers across the country are feeling the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, USDA is preparing to distribute $16 billion in direct aid to producers who have

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CAFF Policy Update: COVID-19

Updated 4/10/20 (we will continue to update this document as new developments unfold and as new information is released) CARES Federal programs In the face of our public health crisis

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News: COVID-19, Agriculture & Local Food

Emergency fund to help Calif farmers

AG CLIPS – Effort to support farmers most impacted by COVID-19, economic turmoil. Given the pressing challenges facing California farmers as a result of Covid-19, Community Alliance with Family Farmers

Read More »

Growing Pains

COMSTOCK — Local farmers work hard to respond and adapt to the coronavirus pandemic. As the coronavirus pandemic has upended the U.S. economy, farmers are trying to figure out how

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