Attention farmers and farm workers: the Farm and Food Workers Relief Program is accepting applications from those who worked in the agricultural sector impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. New Hampshire frontline farm workers and meatpacking workers who incurred expenses preparing for, preventing exposure to, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic can apply for a one-time $600 relief payment through this website, which is administered by Pasa Sustainable Agriculture.
Program Overview
The Food and Farm Workers Relief Grant Program (FFWR) recognizes the critical role agricultural workers played in maintaining our food supply chain during the pandemic. This initiative aims to mitigate the financial hardships experienced by these workers during the pandemic, including lost wages, purchase of PPE, increased living expenses, and healthcare costs.
With funding from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 funds, USDA awarded approximately $670 million to 14 nonprofit organizations and one Tribal entity to issue relief payments to eligible farm and food workers. Each of those 14 organizations serves a specific geographic region.
Pasa Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) is distributing relief payments to eligible frontline farm workers and meatpacking workers from the following 14 states: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia. Applicants outside of these states will be eligible to apply for relief payments through other organizations. Click here to find organizations selected to distribute FFWR relief payments other than PASA.
PASA began the process of distributing funds in March 2023 but quickly paused their application process in June 2023 in order to address administrative challenges and ensure the program's effective implementation. As of May 2024, applications are currently being accepted and can be found at FarmWorkers.com. The website provides detailed application instructions and lists the necessary documentation required to prove eligibility.
Eligibility Criteria
Relief payments will be available to eligible workers who performed work in farming and meatpacking during the period extending from January 27, 2020 until May 11, 2023. Eligible beneficiaries should be frontline workers, and not those working in management positions. The program is inclusive of all farm workers, regardless of citizenship or residency status. More details can be found here.
Additional information:
- Relief payments will remain available until funds are exhausted.
- There is no cost to apply (beware of fraud!).
- Relief payments are not a loan and payment recipients will not be taxed.
- Immigration status is not one of the eligibility criteria.
- Only one relief payment can be issued to an eligible beneficiary. Applying for a relief payment through more than one location or organization will result in significant payment delays.
Farmers and agricultural employers are encouraged to inform their employees about the availability of this relief program. Some may consider printing or forwarding this factsheet from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service which outlines the program details. Questions can be directed via email to support@pasafarming.org (English) or apoyo@pasafarming.org (Spanish) or by phone (833) 469-3397.
