COVID-19 Farmers Update 04/23/2020

— Written by Mark Hoffmann | April 23, 2020 (Updated: Jan. 9, 2026, 7:56 a.m.)

COVID-19 Farmers Update 04/23/2020

News Today:

Take Our Survey!

N.C. Cooperative Extension seeks to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the specialty crop (fruit and vegetable) farming and associated agritourism industry in North Carolina, in order to shape our extension response.

This survey is approved by the NC State IRB. It is conducted by extension specialists of the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State University in collaboration with CEFS and the NC State Local Foods Initiative.

Please fill out this voluntary and anonymous NC State COVID-19 impact survey. The survey will be open from Apr 23- May 7

Government:

Updates on the CFAP (Coronavirus Food Assistance Program)

COVID-19:

Local Food Program:

N.C. Cooperative Extension’s Local Food Program is hosting two webinars next week. Registration is required. Please register.
- April 27, 7-8:30 p.m.: Will highlight collaborative efforts of farmers that are not tied to a food hub. Panelists will include representatives of Vacationer Supported Agriculture, Piedmont Progressive Farmers Group, and Carolina Common Enterprise.
- April 30, 7-8:30 p.m.: will highlight food hub efforts to link consumers with local food.

Strawberries:

Dr. Ben Chapman: Eating Berries does not cause COVID-19
Consumer sign and social media post: Washing produce (image)
Print-out Food Safety for Consumers (pdf)
“What We Know - And Don’t Know - About Food Safety and COVID-19” written by NC State Extension
NC State Extension article: ‘Strawberry Season Arrives Early and in Abundance’

What to do if there is a COVID-19 case on the farm?

COVID-19 is a reportable disease and affected people need to be quarantined. Please see here important information from the NCDHHS on how to act if farm workers are tested positive!
Please find here guidelines on personal protective equipment on NC farms.
Temporary Worker Housing COVID-19 Guidance.
N.C. Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet: FAQ: COVID-19 and small produce farms.
COVID-19 Resources for fresh fruit and vegetable producers.

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)

Last Friday, the USDA has announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). This program has about $ 2.1b in direct assistance to specialty crop farmers in the USA, if you have experienced loss due to COVID-19. Please read the Farm Bureaus take on CFAP.
We recommend highly that you monitor and record your losses on a weekly basis!
Producers can receive single payments determined on two calculations:
Losses that occurred January 1-April 15, 2020. Producers will be compensated for 85% of price loss during that period.
Second part of the payment will be expected losses from April 15 through the next two quarters, and will cover 30% of expected losses.

The payment limit is $125,000 per commodity with an overall limit of $250,000 per individual or entity. Qualified commodities must have experienced a 5% price decrease between January and April. The rules for the program, which will give us more information, are expected to be published in early May. You can sign-up through your county FSA offices.

Daily COVID-19 Update as of 4/23/2020:

North Carolina (12:30 p.m. EST): 7,608 confirmed positive/ 253 deaths
USA: (12:30 p.m. EST): 843,981 positive/ 46,859 deaths
World (12:30 p.m. EST): 2,659,557 positive/ 185,494 deaths

Newsletter:

We highlight research from around the globe, shed light on the behind-the-scenes of extension, put NC State Horticulture graduate students into the spotlight, provide insightful tips into the science of farming, detail seasonal recipes, and many other things. Our first issue will come out at the end of April.