COVID-19 RESOURCES

Important! State Guidance for Farms to Prevent/Respond to COVID-19

New York state has released official guidance specific to farms addressing COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus). You can find the document titled "Interim Guidance for Prevention and Response
of COVID-19 at Farms" at this link: https://agriculture.ny.gov/interim-guidance-prevention-and-response-covid-19-farms. The document covers: cleaning and disinfection, face coverings, social distancing, high-risk locations, coordination with local health departments, employee health screening, quarantine/isolation, and farm-provided employee housing.

A companion document is a helpful checklist for farms to be sure they have covered every required item: https://agriculture.ny.gov/covid-19-operator-checklist-farms.

Also included is a tipsheet intended for farm workers (https://agriculture.ny.gov/covid-19-prevention-tips-farmworkers). This document is presently in English but should be available in more languages soon, and I recommend that you distribute it to all employees. Please carefully read the last section of the document titled "Empower Yourself," this section informs workers about how to file complaints. Make sure that your business is in full compliance with all federal and state COVID-19-related sick leave and paid family leave requirements and that you are communicating this information to employees, see this post (https://agworkforce.cals.cornell.edu/2020/04/01/covid-19-employee-leave-and-farm-employers/) for more information.

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By Richard Stup, Cornell University. Permission granted to repost, quote, and reprint with author attribution.
The post State Guidance for Farms to Prevent/Respond to COVID-19 appeared first in The Ag Workforce Journal 

http://agworkforce.cals.cornell.edu/2020/05/28/important-state-guidance-for-farms-to-prevent-respond-to-covid-19/

USDA Issues First Coronavirus Food Assistance Program Payments

(Washington, D.C., June 4, 2020) - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already approved more than $545 million in payments to producers who have applied for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. FSA began taking applications May 26, and the agency has received over 86,000 applications for this important relief program.

"The coronavirus has hurt America's farmers, ranchers, and producers, and these payments directed by President Trump will help this critical industry weather the current pandemic so they can continue to plant and harvest a safe, nutritious, and affordable crop for the American people," said Secretary Perdue. "We have tools and resources available to help producers understand the program and enable them to work with Farm Service Agency staff to complete applications as smoothly and efficiently as possible and get payments into the pockets of our patriotic farmers."

In the first six days of the application period, FSA has already made payments to more than 35,000 producers. Out of the gate, the top five states for CFAP payments are Illinois, Kansas, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and South Dakota. USDA has released data on application progress and program payments and will release further updates each Monday at 2:00pm ET. The report can be viewed at farmers.gov/cfap.

FSA will accept applications through August 28, 2020. Through CFAP, USDA is making available $16 billion in financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline due to COVID-19 and face additional significant marketing costs as a result of lower demand, surplus production, and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities.

In order to do this, producers will receive 80 percent of their maximum total payment upon approval of the application. The remaining portion of the payment, not to exceed the payment limit, will be paid at a later date nationwide, as funds remain available.

Getting Help from FSA
New customers seeking one-on-one support with the CFAP application process can call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer general assistance. This is a recommended first step before a producer engages the team at the FSA county office at their local USDA Service Center.

Producers can download the CFAP application and other eligibility forms from farmers.gov/cfap. Also, on that webpage, producers can find a payment calculator to help producers identify sales and inventory records needed to apply and calculate potential payments. Producers self-certify their records when applying for CFAP and that documentation is not submitted with the application. However, producers may be asked for their documentation to support the certification of eligible commodities, so producers should retain the information used to complete their application.

Those who use the online calculator tool will be able to print a pre-filled CFAP application, sign it, and submit it to your local FSA office either electronically or via hand delivery through an office drop box. Please contact your local office to determine the preferred delivery method for your local office. Team members at FSA county offices will be able to answer detailed questions and help producers apply quickly and efficiently through phone and online tools. Find contact information for your local office at farmers.gov/cfap.

Policy Clarifications
FSA has been working with stakeholder groups to provide further clarification to producers on the CFAP program. For example, the agency has published a matrix of common marketing contracts that impact eligibility for non-specialty crops and has provided a table that crosswalks common livestock terms to CFAP cattle categories. Updated information can be found in the frequently asked questions section of the CFAP website.

More Information
To find the latest information on CFAP, visit farmers.gov/CFAP or call 877-508-8364.

USDA Service Centers are open for business by phone appointment only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.  

https://www.farmers.gov/coronavirus

Additional Commodities Eligible for Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

Applications for New Commodities Accepted Beginning July 13

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2020 - Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced an initial list of additional commodities that have been added to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), and that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) made other adjustments to the program based on comments received from agricultural producers and organizations and review of market data. Producers will be able to submit applications that include these commodities on Monday, July 13, 2020. USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting through Aug. 28, 2020, applications for CFAP, which helps offset price declines and additional marketing costs because of the coronavirus pandemic. USDA expects additional eligible commodities to be announced in the coming weeks.

"During this time of national crisis, President Trump and USDA have stood with our farmers, ranchers, and all citizens to make sure they are taken care of," said Secretary Perdue. "When we announced this program earlier this year, we asked for public input and received a good response. After reviewing the comments received and analyzing our USDA Market News data, we are adding new commodities, as well as making updates to the program for existing eligible commodities. This is an example of government working for the people - we asked for input and we updated the program based on the comments we received."

USDA collected comments and supporting data for consideration of additional commodities through June 22, 2020.

Changes to CFAP include:
• Adding the following commodities: alfalfa sprouts, anise, arugula, basil, bean sprouts, beets, blackberries, Brussels sprouts, celeriac (celery root), chives, cilantro, coconuts, collard greens, dandelion greens, greens (others not listed separately), guava, kale greens, lettuce - including Boston, green leaf, Lolla Rossa, oak leaf green, oak leaf red and red leaf - marjoram, mint, mustard, okra, oregano, parsnips, passion fruit, peas (green), pineapple, pistachios, radicchio, rosemary, sage, savory, sorrel, fresh sugarcane, Swiss chard, thyme and turnip top greens.
• Expanding for seven currently eligible commodities - apples, blueberries, garlic, potatoes, raspberries, tangerines and taro - CARES Act funding for sales losses because USDA found these commodities had a 5 percent or greater price decline between mid-January and mid-April as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally, these commodities were only eligible for marketing adjustments.
• Determining that peaches and rhubarb no longer qualify for payment under the CARES Act sales loss category.
• Correcting payment rates for apples, artichokes, asparagus, blueberries, cantaloupes, cucumbers, garlic, kiwifruit, mushrooms, papaya, peaches, potatoes, raspberries, rhubarb, tangerines and taro.

Additional details can be found in the Federal Register in the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and Final Rule Correction and at www.farmers.gov/cfap.

Producers have several options for applying to the CFAP program:
• Using an online portal, accessible at farmers.gov/cfap, allows producers with secure USDA login credentials—known as eAuthentication—to certify eligible commodities online, digitally sign applications and submit directly to the local USDA Service Center. New commodities will be available in the system on July 13, 2020.
• Completing the application form using our CFAP Application Generator and Payment Calculator found at farmers.gov/cfap. This Excel workbook allows customers to input information specific to their operation to determine estimated payments and populate the application form, which can be printed, then signed and submitted to their local USDA Service Center. An updated version with the new commodities will be available on the website on July 13, 2020.
• Downloading the AD-3114 application form from farmers.gov/cfap and manually completing the form to submit to the local USDA Service Center by mail, electronically or by hand delivery to an office drop box. In some limited cases, the office may be open for in-person business by appointment. Visit farmers.gov/coronavirus/service-center-status to check the status of your local office.

USDA Service Centers can also work with producers to complete and securely transmit digitally signed applications through two commercially available tools: Box and OneSpan. Producers who are interested in digitally signing their applications should notify their local service centers when calling to discuss the CFAP application process. You can learn more about these solutions at farmers.gov/mydocs.

Getting Help from FSA
New customers seeking one-on-one support with the CFAP application process can call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer general assistance. This is a recommended first step before a producer engages the team at the FSA county office at their local USDA Service Center.

All other eligibility forms, such as those related to adjusted gross income and payment information, can be downloaded from farmers.gov/cfap. For existing FSA customers, these documents are likely already on file.

All USDA Service Centers are open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business in person by appointment only. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other Service Center agency should call ahead and schedule an appointment. Service Centers that are open for appointments will pre-screen visitors based on health concerns or recent travel, and visitors must adhere to social distancing guidelines. Visitors may also be required to wear a face covering during their appointment. Field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. Our program delivery staff will be in the office, and they will be working with our producers in office, by phone and using online tools. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.   

https://www.farmers.gov/cfap

Resources for COVID Testing Farm Employees

Assortment of articles and a fact sheet to be used as a resource for communicating with farmers and farm employees regarding testing initiatives.

https://enych.cce.cornell.edu/submission.php?id=738&crumb=business|business

GENERAL

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE)

The Cornell Cooperative Extension website provides an overview of CCE programs across New York State.

http://cce.cornell.edu

Cornell Fruit

Cornell University fruit site including berry news.

http://fruit.cornell.edu/

Winter Storage Resource Guide - Vegetables

Topics include: Growing a healthy Crop and keeping it that way in storage, storage conditions, construction of coolers, controls and thermostats, monitoring and more advanced controls

https://enych.cce.cornell.edu/submission.php?id=509&crumb=current_projects|

New York Berry News

New York Berry News is a monthly online publication that provides a statewide perspective on the production of berry crops in New York.

http://blogs.cornell.edu/fruit/category/berry-news/

Growing for Wholesale, Grading and Packing Guide

Find the guides here

New York Fruit Quarterly

The New York Fruit Quarterly is printed 4 times a year providing fruit and technology updates.

http://nyshs.org/fruit-quarterly/past-issues/

Agricultural Worker Protection Standard-WPS Guide

Do you need clarification on the WPS (Worker Protection Standard) regulations?  Please view this useful resource from the US EPA. Click here for the chart

Scaffold Fruit Journal

Scaffolds Fruit Journal provides weekly update on pest management and crop development.

http://www.scaffolds.entomology.cornell.edu/

BUSINESS

Cornell Cooperative Extension Ag Exchange

http://moodle.cce.cornell.edu/

Cornell Small Farms Program

http://www.smallfarms.cornell.edu

Small Farms Online Courses

Find them here

GUIDELINES

Cornell Veg Crop & Pest Management Guidelines

Integrated Crop and Pest Management Guidelines for Commercial Vegetable provides up-to-date vegetable crop production information for New York State. Included are cultural and pest management strategies for the major vegetable crops grown in New York State. It has been designed as a practical guide for vegetable crop producers, crop consultants, ag chemical dealers, and others who advise vegetable crop producers.

Guidelines may be purchased from The Cornell Store. You may purchase a print copy, online access, or a "bundle" which will get you a print copy and online access.

https://store.cornell.edu/c-875-pmep-guidelines.aspx

Cornell Pest Management Guidelines

Cornell Pest Management Guidelines for Commercial Tree Fruit & Berry Crops can be purchased here.

https://store.cornell.edu/c-875-pmep-guidelines.aspx

Organic Production Guides

Organic Integrated Pest Management for 8 vegetable groups, tree & small fruit, and grapes, and more

http://nysipm.cornell.edu/organic_guide/

GREENHOUSE & TUNNELS

Cornell University High Tunnel

This site provides growers with more information from Cornell's high tunnel team: types of structures, business and marketing resources, and crops that grow particularly well in the tunnel environment.

http://hightunnels.cals.cornell.edu/

SARE Season Extension Topic Room

A section of the Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) website, the season extension topic room provides nationwide research in the areas of variety trials, fertility management, pest management, water management, energy, and marketing and economics.

http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Topic-Rooms/Season-Extension-Topic-Room

PESTS

Labeled Insecticides for Control of Spotted Wing Drosophila

A Quick Guide to Labeled Insecticides for Control of Spotted Wing Drosophila in New York Berry Crops

Compiled by Greg Loeb, Laura McDermott, Peter Jentsch, Tess Grasswitz, & Juliet Carroll, Cornell University. Updated regularly.

https://rvpadmin.cce.cornell.edu/uploads/doc_578.pdf

Network for Environment & Weather Awareness (NEWA)

Awareness for disease, insect and weather forecasts

http://newa.cornell.edu/

NYS IPM Program

Developing sustainable ways to manage pests and help people to use methods that minimize environmental, health, and economic risks.

http://www.nysipm.cornell.edu/

SOIL HEALTH

SARE Cover Crop Topic Room

A section of the Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) website, the cover crop topic room provides educational materials developed from cover crop research. Topics include selection and management, economics, establishment, rotations, soil and fertility management, water management, pest management, and no-till.

http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Topic-Rooms/Cover-Crop-Topic-Room

Cornell Soil Health

Information to help you return your soil to a healthy state or keep an already good soil productive.

http://soilhealth.cals.cornell.edu

The Cornell Nutrient Analysis Laboratory

Provide accurate and cost effective analysis of soil (Cornell Soil Health Test, Illinois Soil Nutrient Test, other specialized soil tests), plant and water samples.

http://cnal.cals.cornell.edu

Cleaning & Sanitizing on Produce Farms

March 11, 2021

The Institute for Food Safety at Cornell University, UVM Extension Ag Engineering, and CCE Orange County, CCE Dutchess County, and CCE ENYCHP are hosting a workshop on Cleaning and Sanitizing on Produce Farms and in Packing Facilities. This remote 3.5 hour webinar will provide:

• A brief review of microbial risks in produce farms and packing facilities
• Conducting a Sanitation Operational Assessment
• Presentations focused on the: o Basics of wet and dry cleaning and sanitizing o Value and importance of sanitation SOPs
• A hands-on exercise writing a sanitation SOP

Modern Stone Fruit Training Systems Webinar

March 16, 2021

While yields of stone fruits planted to traditional orchard systems have been lagging behind our modern apple plantings in the northeast, research is actively being conducted to utilize improved rootstocks and modern, narrow training systems to increase productivity and reduce labor costs in peach and cherry systems. 

In this webinar, we will be joined by Dr. Jim Schupp, Dr. Greg Lang, and Dr. Terence Robinson, as they discuss improved strategies for growing peaches and cherries in the northeast.

How to Obtain a Pesticide Applicator License - March 23

March 23, 2021

Thinking about becoming a certified pesticide applicator in New York?  This online program will cover the basics of who needs a pesticide license, license types, examination procedures, and important information to know for the test.  We will incorporate interactive practice questions and activities within the program to test participant knowledge in preparation for the exam.