Hi there!

I hope this finds you well and faring the recent heat fine.

While another disaster-relief update takes the leading spot in this edition of our farmer e-news, I still want to take the opportunity to encourage you to reach out to Berkshire Grown should there be anything you would like more information, consultation, or insight about.

We still have grant funds available to support 1:1 consultations or focused technical assistance - topics can range from on-farm management of crops, pests, pasture, woodland, specific practices, to marketing advice and consultation. Big-picture topics and specific concerns are all welcome! If you would like more information and want to discuss something fresh from this season, please feel free to reach out to me at ian@berkshiregrown.org.

Approaching fall, our Winter Workshop topics are starting to come together. A few topics include: SNAP / HIP best practices and methods of implementation in different spaces, grant writing skill-building for farmers, body ergonomics and movement for wellness in farm labor, and more! Stay tuned for updates in our coming newsletters.

Some updates in this month's farmer newsletter:

Thanks!

Ian Brunell

Program Manager, Business Members

MDAR is now accepting applications for the Natural Disaster Recovery (NDR) Program for Agriculture. The goal of the NDR program is to provide financial assistance to agricultural operations with demonstrated crop losses from the 2023 Natural Disasters (inclusive of all losses, from January 1 2023 onward to date). The program financial assistance is inteded to help mitigate costs in rebuilding and recovering, with the aim of supporting job security, building resiliency, and enabling future production.

Applications are due by 4:00pm on Friday, September 29, 2023. To find out more information and submit an application refer to the Natural Disaster Recovery (NDR) Program for Agriculture website. 

This natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability.

Primary Counties Eligible: Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Worcester

Primary Counties Eligible: Berkshire, Bristol, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Norfolk, Worcester

For more information on Flooding Relief click here.

For more information of Frost Loss Relief click here.

The MA Farm Resiliency Fund was created by the United Way of Central Massachusetts (UWCM) with the intention of both responding to the recent storm impact in western and central Mass, as well as having long-term potential to respond to how climate is affecting our farms.

The Fund Will Support:

State and government officials, philanthropic partners and private foundations have joined together to raise significant dollars to aid farmers affected by these devastating losses due to severe weather. To ensure farmers can recover as quickly as possible, all funds will be distributed rapidly through a deliberate selection process.

A first round of funding was recently distributed, and a second round of funding based on farms' individual needs will be distributed in the Fall.

For more information, visit the website here, or contact me at ian@berkshiregrown.org

The Berkshire Mobile Farmers Market Pilot Program will launch this September for a 10 week Pilot Season to bring fresh, locally-grown food to areas in our community of low income and/or low access to fresh food. Shoppers will find a variety of seasonal produce at the market, as well as other food staples such as eggs, meat, dairy products, bread, maple syrup and honey.

All products will be locally sourced, and shoppers' payments will be on a tiered/sliding scale to make shopping at the market affordable for all. A customer’s payment tier is based on their self-disclosed information – they can choose to pay either retail price, use SNAP/HIP, or pay nothing at all (using the market as a food pantry). We are striving to make shopping at the market a stigma-free, welcoming experience for all shoppers.

Berkshire Grown joins with Berkshire Bounty, the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, and the Southern Berkshires Rural Health Network as well as the Berkshire United Way and Community Health Programs in this collaboration. Each partner addresses a distinct aspect of food production, storage, purchase, and distribution.

For farmers selling to the Berkshire Mobile Farmers Market, they recieve higher direct-to-consumer sales income, lower delivery costs, no marketing costs, and stronger social connections in the Berkshire community.

Interested in having the Berkshire Mobile Farmers Market sell your products? Contact Alyssa VanDurme alyssa@berkshiregrown.org.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the opening of the financial assistance application process for eligible farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs prior to January 2021. Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) directs USDA to provide this assistance. Since the law’s passage, USDA has worked diligently to design the program in accordance with significant stakeholder input.

“The opening of the application process is an important step in delivering on our commitment of providing financial assistance to those who faced discrimination in USDA farm lending, as swiftly and efficiently as possible,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “USDA will continue to work with our national vendor partners and community-based organizations to make sure eligible farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners have clear information about what is available to them, how to apply, and where to obtain assistance with their questions at each step of the way.”

The program website, 22007apply.gov, is now open. The website includes an English- and Spanish-language application that applicants can download or submit via an e-filing portal, information on how to obtain technical assistance in-person or virtually, and additional resources and details about the program.

Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination by USDA in its farm loan programs prior to January 1, 2021 and/or are currently debtors with assigned or assumed USDA farm loan debt that was the subject of USDA discrimination that occurred prior to January 1, 2021, are eligible for this program.

You can read the Press Release Here.

ACCEPTING FARMS NOW!

Join The Livestock Institue and its Education Committee in gathering data on regional livestock farms! TLI is offering FREE baleage and soil testing for livestock farms in MA, RI and CT.

To sign up, email Sarah at sarah@thelivestockinstitute.org

More information and fact sheets can be found at the TOPP website.

Please feel free to contact me at ian@berkshiregrown.org