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USDA introduces Pandemic Response and Safety Grant programs
The USDA has announced two more COVID-19 relief grant programs totaling $700 million to support agriculture stakeholders who have not yet received adequate federal assistance in response to pandemic challenges.
The bulk of the funds are designated for the Pandemic Response and Safety Grant program to benefit small producers of certain commodities, including meat and specialty crop producers and processors, distributors, and farmers markets. The remaining $50 million will go to eligible shellfish and aquaculture producers, seafood facilities and processing vessels through the Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant program.
Both programs are funded by pandemic assistance in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and differ from the Farm and Food Workers Relief Program announced earlier this week. Click here to access the applications and the USDA’s eligibility forecast tool.
