| COVID-19 Response and Resources
USDA Coronavirus Website
Visit www.usda.gov/coronavirus for up-to-date information on USDA services and resources. This page include frequently asked questions, USDA actions to respond to COVID-19, and additional resources from CDC, FEMA, and other agencies. Learn more about the latest actions from USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Rural Development, and other agencies.
USDA to Provide Additional Direct Assistance to Farmers and Ranchers Impacted by the Coronavirus
President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced up to an additional $14 billion dollars for agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. Signup for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) began September 21st and run through December 11, 2020. Find out more about USDA’s commitment to farmers and ranchers.
USDA Announces Contracts for Round 3 of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program
Following President Donald Trump’s approval to include up to an additional $1 billion in the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved up to $1 billion in contracts to support American producers and communities in need through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program. Learn more.
USDA and Federal Partners Offer COVID-19 Resources for Rural Communities
The COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide offers resources for immediate and long-term assistance to rural communities affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. This resource matrix identifies support through technical, training, and management assistance; financial assistance; and state and local assistance.
FNS Response to COVID-19
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is granting states significant program flexibilities and contingencies to best serve program participants across their 15 nutrition programs. Learn more.
Announcements
OPPE Visits Stakeholders
In September, Director of the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement Mike Beatty travelled to Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas to meet with faculty, staff, students, and USDA liaisons at historically black 1890 land-grant institutions like Alabama A&M University, Southern University and A&M College, Tuskegee University, and Prairie View A&M University that are key partners in our mission to strengthen the pipeline for tomorrow’s agricultural workforce.
He also met with grant recipients through the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (also known as the 2501 Program). While on the road, OPPE also connected with Farmers to Families Food Box Program recipients and vendors, engaged with our Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and facilitated dialogue through roundtables with youth and veteran groups. OPPE looks forward to future opportunities to safely check in with our stakeholders further this fall.
Minority Farmer Advisory Committee Public Meeting
OPPE’s Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers (ACMF) will hold a public teleconference on October 7 to discuss USDA outreach, technical assistance, and capacity building for and with minority farmers, the implementation of the Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmer and Rancher Grant Program (2501 Program), and other methods of maximizing the participation of minority farmers and ranchers in the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide advice to the Secretary on these issues. Find out how to participate.
New Community Prosperity Federal Resource Guide
Communities seeking USDA and other federal resources to address complex issues they may face have a new tool at hand. This new resource matrix organizes funding opportunities at USDA and other federal departments and agencies that support capacity building in rural America, and that foster hope and opportunity, wealth creation, and asset building. Opportunities are categorized by stakeholder group and type of technical assistance.
Community Prosperity Training Summits
The Centers of Community Prosperity initiative was launched by Secretary Perdue in 2019 to increase the capacity of rural and underserved communities through extensive collaboration, tailored technical assistance, and a community’s designation as a Community of Faith and Opportunity.
To establish Communities of Faith and Opportunity, the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE) hosts Community Prosperity Summits around the country. These training summits and capacity-building workshops bring together a wide range of USDA stakeholders to foster a sustainable development process focusing on locally driven, bottom-up solutions to address challenges in rural and underserved communities.
Upcoming virtual Community Prosperity Summits:
· New Mexico Community Prosperity Summit – October 20, 2020. For more information, contact Ruby De La Garza at [email protected]
2020 Rural Renewal Symposium
OPPE, Oklahoma State University, and the Oklahoma Association of Electrical Cooperatives will host an inaugural virtual symposium that will feature research presentations on rural renewal projects, along with roundtable sessions for local leaders to discuss best practices in their communities. Register today.
IGNITE Business Expo: Celebrating Diversity
IGNITE provides a platform for diversity-owned farmers and ranchers to exhibit their products and services to businesses. Attend these virtual events to showcase products, engage in roundtable discussions, and secure one-on-one meetings. The event takes place Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and 2. Learn more.
USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force Request for Nominations
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the invitation for nominations of qualified candidates to be considered for a two-year term on USDA’s Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality Research. The Task Force advises the Secretary on air quality and its relationship to agriculture based on sound scientific findings and review of research on agricultural air quality supported by federal agencies. Learn more.
USDA Survey to Measure Areas for Improvement
USDA announced a new annual survey of farmers, ranchers and private forestland owners. The survey will help USDA understand what it is doing well and where improvements are needed, specifically at the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA). Learn more and take the survey.
General Resources
OPPE Website
The Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement website provides a one-stop shop for the latest education, tools, and resources available through U.S. Department of Agriculture programs and initiatives. Visit us at www.usda.gov/partnerships.
Advisory Committees
USDA seeks nominations for its committees throughout the year. The Department is interested in a wide range of professionals including scientists, representatives of interest groups, educators, and business leaders. USDA has a special interest in assuring that women, minority groups, and people with physically disabilities are adequately represented. Learn more.
Federal Register
Find the latest USDA regulations, proposed rules, and notices of interest in the Federal Register, the daily journal of the federal government, published each business day by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Read the latest USDA notices.
Farmers.gov
Farmers.gov is an interactive, one-stop website for farmers, ranchers, private foresters, and agricultural producers. Visitors can get online self-service applications, educational materials and business tools, and find local USDA Service Centers. Visit the site today.
New Farmers.gov
This online resource offers guides to help future farmers create business plans, acquire land and capital, manage risk, and plan finances. A Discovery Tool provides customized advice and resources. Learn more about farming.
Rural Development Innovation Center
The Center works to transform rural communities through strategic partnerships, data analytics, regulations management and enterprise risk management. Among their initiatives, a new Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge (RPIC), which offers funding and technical assistance to help communities enhance capacity for broadband access; preserve cultural and historic structures; and support the development of transportation, housing, and recreational spaces. Get started.
Veterans
USDA offers loans, education and training, grants, and technical assistance programs to help veterans start or grow a business or career in agriculture. Learn more.
National Veterans Small Business Week 2020
Each year the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) celebrates, connects, and empowers service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses during National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW). This year marks the seventh annual NVSBW. Join SBA district offices, resources partners, and other organizations as we celebrate the veteran- and military-owned business community.
VA’s National Center for PTSD
Individual veterans and health care providers who are looking for support can find resources at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ National Center for PTSD, the world’s leading research and educational center of excellence on PTSD and traumatic stress. Learn more.
Youth
USDA’s Youth and Agriculture website connects young people, educators, and youth-serving organizations with USDA resources for the next generation of agricultural leaders. Discover more.
USAJOBS
USAJOBS connects job seekers with federal employment opportunities across the United States and around the world. Features include search tools for students, recent graduates, and veterans.
· USAJobs search for jobs for recent graduates at USDA.
If you have questions or suggestions for the newsletter, please email us at [email protected]. For more information about specific USDA agencies, sign up on their respective websites. |
