Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program will provide direct relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19. This $19 billion immediate relief program includes direct support to agricultural producers as well as the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.

CFAP will provide vital financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a 5% or more price decline or who had losses due to market supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19 and face additional significant market costs. Many of Oregon’s crops are eligible and a full list can be found here.

Applications will be live on Tuesday, May 26th.

SAIF $25M Worker Safety Fund

The $25 million fund will help policyholders pay for expenses tied to making workplaces safer against the virus and dealing with the impact of the pandemic on workers. This includes worksite cleaning and disinfection supplies; resources to reopen businesses safely after a COVID-19-related closure; resources to redesign or modify workspaces to encourage social distancing; and mental health and wellness initiatives.

All SAIF policyholders (including those in the assigned risk pool) will be eligible, and expenses incurred on or after March 1 will be considered. SAIF will accept submissions until all funds have been expended or until the fund is no longer needed. Application available on saif.com/safetyfund and questions can be directed to safetyfund@saif.com.

For more information on what employers need to know about coronavirus and workers’ compensation including claims, time loss, payroll, and other related information as it pertains to your employees, read here. All SAIF policyholders can learn more about the actions SAIF is taking to support their customers during this time.

Mental Health

Farmers, ranchers, fishers, and foresters have demanding jobs that are often compounded by economic uncertainty, vulnerability to weather events, and isolation. Rural communities may also have limited access to health and mental healthcare services, which can make it difficult to receive support when experiencing extreme stress, anxiety, depression, or another mental health crisis. Like chronic pain, poor mental health can make it difficult to manage other stressors that are common in our industry. You are not alone!

Please share and use the following resources: SAIF (suicide prevention, chronic stress, psychologically healthy workplaces), Farm State of Mind (stress, anxiety, depression), American Farm Bureau’s Rural Resilience (warning signs, steps to help someone at risk), and Successful Farming (suicide, stress, breaking down barriers).

Business Oregon Survival Tips

First off, do not panic; you are not alone. Seek the advice of people you trust and then think things through carefully. Be proactive and respond, do not be reactive. Deal with what is in front of you and that which you have control over. Let the rest go. Worry and fear never solves the problems and can actually exacerbate it. Nobody wins if your business fails, so involve your partners and employees in the solution.

This Survival in an Emergency Guide walks through Planning, Cash Flow, Payments, Insurance, Staffing, and Long-Term decisions during crisis.

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