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NYFB Virtual Commodity Summits Series Concludes Thursday

Due to COVID-19, NYFB is hosting a series of virtual commodity summit meetings. The third and final meeting will be tomorrow (Aug. 6). It will examine policy issues around siting solar projects on farmland. This topic has generated a lot of discussion among our members, and the information from these meetings can be used to develop public policy during this year's grassroots policy development process.

August 6 at noon: Solar Siting on farms

Register in advance for this meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

In addition, you can view the two previous virtual commodity summit presentations:

• NYFB Virtual Commodity Summit Kick-Off Recording, July 23, 2020
  
• NYFB Virtual Commodity Summit: Livestock Processing Capacity, July 29, 2020

Your Advocacy Matters!

Recently passed legislation by both the State Assembly and Senate could impact your farm. Please take the time to contact the Governor asking him to veto these bills:

• Ban on Glyphosate on State Lands
  
• Regulation of Class 'C' streams (click on 'next' on the bottom right of page)
  

NYFB has brought together our industry partners to put together this letter requesting a veto on the ban of Glyphosate on state land.

Gov. Cuomo Signs Legislation Authorizing the Manufacture and Sale of Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts Made with Liquor

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed legislation authorizing the manufacture and sale of ice cream and other frozen desserts made with liquor in New York State. This legislation is good for New York's dairy farms, dairy processors, and craft beverage producers. The new law would limit the percentage of alcohol in ice cream to not more than five percent of alcohol by volume and requires the same product labeling and warning statements to the wine, beer or cider frozen desserts that were previously authorized.

NYFB Members can Support State Agricultural Products in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines by Comment Submission

The process to develop the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) is currently underway, and the next edition of the DGA will be published at the end of 2020. The DGAs are updated every five years and provide a set of guidance on dietary choices and health, which are authored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Currently, the USDA and HHS are requesting public comments on their development of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans with specific input on the scientific report provided to USDA and HSS by the Dietary Guidelines Scientific Advisory Committee. This is the final step before the government issues the official 2020 DGA, which will guide government nutrition policies until their next update in 2025. That includes determining which varieties of milk can be served in school meal programs and setting the basis for federal food and nutrition assistance programs.

NYFB members are encouraged to submit comments to the agencies regarding the importance of whole milk and dairy products in the dietary recommendations. In addition, it's important that fresh fruits and vegetables continue to be incorporated into the updated DGA as New York is a major producer of fruits and vegetables. Send a letter to USDA and HHS by clicking here. The deadline to submit comments is Aug. 13, 2020.

USDA Extends Deadlines, Defers Interest Accrual Due to COVID-19

The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced it will authorize Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) to extend deadlines for premium and administrative fee payments, defer the resulting interest accrual and allow other flexibilities to help farmers and insurance providers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, USDA is authorizing AIPs to provide policyholders additional time to pay premium and administrative fees and to waive accrual of interest to the earlier of 60 days after their scheduled payment due date or the termination date on policies with premium billing dates between August 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2020. In addition, USDA is authorizing AIPs to provide up to an additional 60 days for policyholders to make payment and waive additional interest for Written Payment Agreements due between Aug. 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2020.

RMA is authorizing additional flexibilities due to coronavirus while continuing to support producers, working through AIPs to deliver services, including processing policies, claims and agreements. RMA staff are working with AIPs and other customers by phone, mail and electronically to continue supporting crop insurance coverage for producers. Farmers with crop insurance questions or needs should continue to contact their insurance agents about conducting business remotely (by telephone or email). More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus. Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private insurance agents. A list of insurance agents is available online using the RMA Agent Locator. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov.

NRCS EQIP Application Deadline Approaching

The New York Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced Aug. 21, 2020 as the application cutoff date for the general signup for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. Through the EQIP program, NRCS offers financial and technical assistance to participants to implement practices which address priority resource concerns, including soil erosion, water quality and habitat degradation. Focus areas within the EQIP program include the farmstead, cropland, pastureland, and forestland. Examples of practices implemented through EQIP include: strip cropping, grassed waterways, forest stand improvement and manure storage facilities.

NRCS will work with applicants to assess potential resource concerns on the land included in the application and to develop a conservation plan to address the identified resource concerns.

Applications accepted after Aug. 21, 2020 will be considered in the next signup. All applications are competitive and are ranked based on national, state and locally identified resource priorities and the overall benefit to the environment. Farmers interested in applying for an NRCS conservation program, click here for more information. To find your local USDA-NRCS service center, click here.

Producers Reminded to Sign-up for CFAP, New York Farm Service Agency to Host Webinars

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in New York is hosting two meetings about the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The first meeting will be Wednesday, Aug. 5 at 7 p..m, and the second will be Thursday, Aug. 6 at 10 a.m. CFAP is available to farmers whose commodity prices have been directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. CFAP provides direct relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19.

Both meetings will present the same material, they are just being offered at two separate times to provide producers options on which to attend. The meetings will be available to attend online or with a conference call phone number. Please email Lynnette.wright@usda.gov to receive a calendar invite to the webinars, or follows these links at the appropriate times:

• Wednesday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. or call: 347-690-4420; Conference ID: 498 402 089#
• Thursday, Aug. 6 at 10 a.m. or call: 347-690-4420; Conference ID: 478 383 664#

FSA is accepting applications for CFAP through Aug. 28, 2020. To find the latest information on CFAP, eligible crops, payment rates, application and payment calculator, visit farmers.gov/cfap

Updated Guidance for Farmers Markets

New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has updated the interim guidance for farmers markets to include requirements regarding entertainment at farmers markets. Click here to view the document.

Guidance for Businesses

• Click here to see all four phases of projected industry reopening including the guidelines for non-food related agriculture. This website also has information on how to file a complaint to assist local authorities with enforcement of Executive Orders and restrictions on business operations and activities, as well as gatherings.
• Click here to view a Regional Monitoring Dashboard to see where each region stands.
• Click here to see the frequently asked questions (FAQ) on New York Forward and the contact information for your regional control center.
• Click here to see the list of members in each regional control room.
• Click here for a tool that will help you determine whether or not your business is eligible to reopen.
• Reminder that regions in phase III can have social gatherings of up to 25 people and regions in phase IV can have social gatherings of up to 50 people.

NYFB has created a Farmworker Relief Program, a database whereby a farmworker seeking work can complete a form to be included in the database, and a farmer seeking workers can use the database as a recruiting resource.

NYFB Virtual Commodity Summits

Due to COVID-19, NYFB is hosting a series of virtual commodity summit meetings. The third and final meeting will be next Thursday, August 6. It will examine policy issues around siting solar projects on farmland. This topic has generated a lot of discussion among our members, and the information from these meetings can be used to develop public policy during this year's grassroots policy development process.

August 6 at noon: Solar Siting on Farms

Register in advance for this meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

In addition, you can view the two previous virtual commodity summit presentations:

NYFB Virtual Commodity Summit Kick-Off Recording, July 23, 2020

NYFB Virtual Commodity Summit: Livestock Processing Capacity, July 29, 2020

Tell the Governor Not to Ban Glyphosate on State Property!

Both the New York State Senate and Assembly have recently passed legislation that would ban the use of Glyphosate on state property. As you know, there are many farms that lease land from the state to grow crops, and this bill would prohibit them from using this important crop protectant to control weeds that can choke out their crop. Additionally, many of New York's agricultural colleges, which operate on state-owned land, like Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), SUNY Morrisville and SUNY Cobleskill, also should have continued access to this product to conduct research, grow crops for their livestock, and utilize the product for hands-on learning experiences. Lastly, this bill would set a bad precedent allowing a legislative body, rather than a state agency in charge of regulating the chemical, to decide on its use. To write a letter to Governor Cuomo asking him to veto the ban of use of Glyphosate on state property, click here.

National Grid Extends 0% Financing on Energy Projects

A message from National Grid: Due to the popularity of our 0% Financing Program, and the impact it is making for our customers, the National Grid management team has agreed to fund and extend it for an additional three months! Energy efficiency projects (gas and electric) are now eligible for 0% financing through October 30, 2020.

Projects do not need to be completed by October 30; you just need to apply for the incentives and financing by that date. Click here for more information.

Coronavirus Producer Action Survey

The coronavirus continues to cause disease, market disruptions, and employment turmoil throughout the country. Farms continue to operate as essential businesses, adopting many new management practices intended to slow or halt the spread of the virus. Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development is conducting a survey to measure the extent farmers have taken actions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it can cause. The purpose is to provide accurate information for farm managers, educators, and decision-making authorities.

Access the survey here: COVID-19 Producer Action Survey

Benefits for Producers

• Receive a copy of the summary results.
• Compare own actions to that of others.
• Survey is straight-forward and only takes 10-15 minutes to complete.

All information entered will be kept confidential. Only aggregate data, with no way to identify farms or individuals, will be published or shared. No financial compensation is provided to participants, but a summary of the results will be shared if you contribute a usable survey and include a working email address.

For questions, contact: Lucas Smith (ls678@cornell.edu or 315-759-8188) or Richard Stup, Ph.D., Cornell Agricultural Workforce Specialist, (rstup@cornell.edu or 607-255-7890).

Unsolicited Seed Packages

The USDA is aware that people across the country have received suspicious, unsolicited packages of seed that appear to be coming from China. USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection, other federal agencies, and state departments of agriculture to investigate the situation.

USDA urges anyone who receives an unsolicited package of seeds to immediately contact their state plant regulatory official or APHIS state plant health director. Please hold on to the seeds and packaging, including the mailing label, until someone from your state department of agriculture or APHIS contacts you with further instructions. Do not plant seeds from unknown origins.

At this time, USDA does not have any evidence indicating this is something other than a "brushing scam" where people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales. USDA is currently collecting seed packages from recipients and will test their contents and determine if they contain anything that could be of concern to U.S. agriculture or the environment. USDA is committed to preventing the unlawful entry of prohibited seeds and protecting U.S. agriculture from invasive pests and noxious weeds. Visit the APHIS website to learn more about USDA's efforts to stop agricultural smuggling and promote trade compliance.

Senate Introduces the HEALS Act - What Does It Mean for Agriculture?

On July 27, Senate Republicans announced the details of their $1 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package, the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools Act (HEALS Act), follow-up legislation to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act passed in March. The legislative package does include provisions which would benefit agriculture by providing an additional $20 billion to the USDA to compensate agricultural producers and processors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $20 billion has few restrictions and can be used "to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus by providing support for agricultural producers, growers, and processors impacted by coronavirus, including producers, growers, and processors of specialty crops, non-specialty crops, dairy, livestock and poultry, including livestock and poultry depopulated due to insufficient processing access and growers who produce livestock or poultry under a contract for another entity." The bill allocates an additional $457 million to USDA to address other issues, including $245 million to make up for lost user fees due to the decline in agriculture inspection services and $113 million in rural rental assistance to low-wage residents. The Farm Service Agency would get an additional $76.4 million to cover temporary staff and overtime costs. A full summary of the agriculture provisions can be found here. Farmers are encouraged to send an e-lobby letter to their senators to stress the importance of agriculture in the next COVID-related legislative package. Click here to send a letter.

USDA Announces a Third Round of Farmers to Families Food Box Program Purchases

The USDA will launch a third round of Farmers to Families Food Box Program purchases with distributions to occur beginning by September 1, with completion by October 31, 2020. The purchases will spend the balance of $3 billion authorized for the program. So far, over 46 million Farmers to Families Food Boxes have been invoiced and delivered.

In this third round of purchases, USDA plans to purchase combination boxes to ensure all recipient organizations have access to fresh produce, dairy products, fluid milk, and meat products. Eligibility in the third round will be open to entities who can meet the government's requirements and specifications. Proposals will be expected to illustrate how coverage will be provided to areas identified as opportunity zones, detail subcontracting agreements, and address the "last mile" delivery of product into the hands of the food insecure population. More information about the third round of food box purchasing will be made available on the Farmers to Families Food Box Program website at www.usda.gov/farmers-to-families.

Farm Service Agency in New York to Host Meetings on CFAP

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in New York is hosting two meetings about the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The first meeting will be Wednesday, August 5, at 7 p.m., and the second will be Thursday, August 6, at 10 a.m. CFAP is available to farmers whose commodity prices have been directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. CFAP provides direct relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19.

Both meetings will present the same material, they are just being offered at two separate times to provide producers options on which to attend. The meetings will be available to attend online or with a conference call phone number. Please email Lynnette.wright@usda.gov to receive a calendar invite to the webinars, or follow these links at the appropriate times:

Wednesday, August 5, at 7 p.m. or call: 347-690-4420; Conference ID: 498 402 089#

Thursday, August 6, at 10 a.m. or call: 347-690-4420; Conference ID: 478 383 664#

FSA is accepting applications for CFAP through August 28, 2020. To find the latest information on CFAP, eligible crops, payment rates, application and payment calculator, visit farmers.gov/cfap.

USDA Launches New Farmers.gov Features to Help Farmers Hire Workers

The USDA has announced new features to USDA's Farmers.gov website designed to help facilitate the employment of H-2A workers.

The primary new H-2A features on Farmers.gov include:

• A real-time dashboard that enables farmers to track the status of their eligible employer application and visa applications for temporary non-immigrant workers;
• Streamlining the log-in information, so if a farmer has an existing login.gov account, they can save multiple applications tracking numbers for quick lookup at any time;
• Enables easy access to the Department of Labor's Foreign Labor Application Gateway;
• Allows farmers to track time-sensitive actions taken in the course of Office of Foreign Labor Certification's adjudication of temporary labor certification applications;
• Allowing for farmers to access all application forms online.

All information can be found here.

Guidance for Businesses

• Click here to see all four phases of projected industry reopening including the guidelines for non-food related agriculture. This website also has information on how to file a complaint to assist local authorities with enforcement of Executive Orders and restrictions on business operations and activities, as well as gatherings.
• Click here to view a Regional Monitoring Dashboard to see where each region stands.
• Click here to see the frequently asked questions (FAQ) on New York Forward and the contact information for your regional control center.
• Click here to see the list of members in each regional control room.
• Click here for a tool that will help you determine whether or not your business is eligible to reopen.
• Reminder that regions in phase III can have social gatherings of up to 25 people and regions in phase IV can have social gatherings of up to 50 people.

NYFB has created a Farmworker Relief Program, a database whereby a farmworker seeking work can complete a form to be included in the database, and a farmer seeking workers can use the database as a recruiting resource.

Final NYFB Virtual Commodity Summit: Solar Siting on Farms

Due to COVID-19, NYFB will be hosting its final installation of a series of virtual commodity summit meetings on Thursday, Aug. 6 at noon.

This meeting will examine policy issues around siting solar projects on farmland. This topic has generated a lot of discussion among our members, and the information from these meetings can be used to develop public policy during this year's grassroots policy development process.

Aug. 6 at noon: Solar Siting on farms

Register in advance for this meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

In addition, you can view the two previous virtual commodity summit presentations:

• NYFB Virtual Commodity Summit Kick-Off Recording, July 23, 2020
  
• NYFB Virtual Commodity Summit: Livestock Processing Capacity, July 29, 2020