COVID-19
USDA freezes $2.3B supplemental Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
USDA announced Jan. 27 that $2.3 billion in supplemental Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments will be temporarily frozen. “In accordance with the White House memo, Regulatory Freeze Pending Review, USDA has suspended the processing and... more »
UC Davis launches $3M project to improve farmworker COVID-19 safety
California’s 800,000 farmworkers have been hit hard by COVID-19, the disease that has infected more than 25 million people and killed more than 420,000 in the United States. Farmworkers are especially vulnerable to the airborne... more »
Webinar about COVID-19 disruptions to food supply chains scheduled
A multi-region, multi-institution research and outreach team investigating the impact of COVID-19 on food and agricultural systems will host a free webinar those engaged in the food supply chain at any level. The webinar will... more »
Fusionware ‘no-touch’ system addresses COVID-19 challenges
The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic is the kind of “black swan” event that is disrupting countless aspects of business and life around the world, and the produce supply chain is not exempt. According to a news... more »
Extreme circumstances of 2020 bring rollercoaster ride for produce sales
November and December sales were dominated by the holidays along with the consumers’ response to rapidly rising new COVID-19 cases across many states. Some states and cities enacted renewed shelter-in-place mandates which impacted grocery retailing... more »
Washington ag groups plea for fast-track farm worker vaccinations
As farmers across Washington state prepare for the first wave of nearly 15,000 guest workers to arrive in the first quarter of 2021, leading agricultural groups are appealing recently renewed state COVID-19 emergency rules to... more »
Congressmen call on USDA to prioritize farmworker safety funding
Representatives Jimmy Panetta, D-California; Jim Costa, D-California; Salud Carbajal, D-California; Dan Newhouse, R-Washington; Doug LaMalfa, R-California and Fred Upton, R-Michigan, led 70 colleagues in a bipartisan letter sent Jan. 11 to the USDA urging it... more »
Employers not required to continue providing FFCRA leave
After much heated negotiation in passing Stimulus 2.0, Congress reached a compromise on employee COVID-19 leave, allowing the leave requirements of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) to expire on Dec.31, 2020, but continuing tax... more »
USDA continues Farmers to Families Food Box Program, food purchases
USDA will purchase an additional $1.5 billion worth of food for nationwide distribution through the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, according to a Jan. 4 announcement. In total, USDA has distributed more than 132... more »
Michigan cherry farmer pushes to get COVID-19 vaccine for workers
Since northern Michigan received the first doses of the COVID-19 Vaccine almost three weeks ago, many are wondering when they will be able to receive the vaccine. According to a report by Up North Live,... more »
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