Since the coronavirus started and precautionary restrictions rolled out, many in the Valley’s restaurant community have shared the devastation they’re experiencing as their businesses have been shut down to slow the spread of the virus. However, the ripple effects are being felt even beyond their kitchens.
Kate McClendon of McClendon’s Select Organic Farm is an independent farmer in the Valley who supplies restaurants here with local, organic produce. She said while businesses are applying for federal stimulus money to get them through this difficult time, they are being left with little to nothing.
The Show spoke with McClendon about her reaction to this disappointing response.The Show also reached out to the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture about this.
A spokesperson said the Farm Service Administration is relaxing the loan-making process and adding flexibilities for servicing loans to provide credit to producers, as well as adding flexibilities for crop insurance and paycheck protection for some farmers.
The USDA responded with the following links to the measures they are taking:
Farm Loan Flexibilities
Crop Insurance Flexibilities
- USDA Adds Flexibilities for Crop Insurance to Support America’s Farmers and Ranchers
- USDA Adds Additional Flexibilities for Crop Insurance to Support America’s Farmers and Ranchers
Conservation Planning
The USDA also added:
"Please also review our coronavirus page on farmers.gov: https://www.farmers.gov/coronavirus.
For any questions or to get assistance from USDA producers should contact their local USDA Service Center. We have a great service center locator here: https://www.farmers.gov/service-center-locator.
There is an FAQ about the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program on our coronavirus page: https://www.farmers.gov/coronavirus. It is titled 'Paycheck Protection Program.'"
