This week, the SLO County COVID-19 Task Force approved a plan drafted by SLO Couhnty Farm Bureau to begin vaccinating farmworkers in mid-March. This effort will start with a pilot project at the County’s vaccine clinic site in South County. Thank you to the Grower-Shipper Association of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, local agriculture industry leaders, farm labor contractors, healthcare partners, County staff and our SLO County Farmworker Task Force for providing feedback and direction. 

Our plan is very much focused on having a bias towards action. We will not let the process of developing a perfect plan preferred by everyone prevent us from proceeding with a good plan that gets us started in the right direction. 

As SLO County Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein explained at Wednesday’s news briefing (the ag portion comes up at the 18 minute mark), the County is still a ways away from completing the 65+ age category that is currently eligible for the vaccine. That situation could quickly change if more vaccines become available. We continue to coordinate with our healthcare industry leaders to ensure we are exploring all possible avenues to get vaccines to our essential ag industry as quickly as possible. 

Some other counties and states are further along vaccinating the ag industry than we are. Every county has a unique situation, whether it’s the quantity of vaccines received or the approach taken by local governments to prioritize distribution. While farmworkers and other essential industry workers are at a greater risk of being exposed to the coronavirus, age is the greatest predictor of death or serious illness from COVID-19. This is one of the primary reasons our County has gone with an age-based, rather than occupation-based, distribution. We also know that the Latino population has been disproportionately impacted by COVID, and the majority of our agriculture workforce comes from the Latino community.

So what can you do now to help? 

  

Thank you for your patience and support. We continue to receive a high volume of calls and emails every day asking about the vaccine, but your input and questions are always welcome. Email Brent at bburchett@slofarmbureau.org or call the office at 805-543-3654. Do you appreciate the work Farm Bureau is doing? Please consider becoming a member so we can keep fighting for you.

We got to spend an hour this week with some of the smartest high school students you'll ever meet, Talia and Emily from San Luis Obispo FFA!

 Agricultural crime remains a serious problem in many parts of California, though reported crimes declined in some rural counties the past year. Detectives say they’re not sure why the decline occurred, and farmers say they continue to be plagued by thefts, illegal dumping and other problems. A bill introduced in the state Legislature would increase fines for illegal dumping. In one county, inmate work crews that clear dump sites have been reduced due to pandemic concerns. 

Paycheck Protection Program - Program Updates 

Some of you may have seen the media reports covering President Biden’s recent change to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that will prioritize the smallest American businesses. Effective February 24, 2021 at 9 AM, only businesses with fewer than 20 employees will be able to apply for PPP funds through March 10, 2021. The official press release can be found here.  

Updated PPP information, including forms, guidance, and resources is available at www.sba.gov/ppp as well as www.treasury.gov/cares.   

 Contact: Erin Huston at ehuston@cfbf.com or 916-849-3746 

Farm Labor Housing Direct Loans and Grants 

USDA Rural Development offers low-interest loans and need-based grants to construct off-farm housing for domestic year-round, migrant, seasonal, retired, and/or disabled domestic farm laborers. Federal Register. Pre-applications are required and must be sent to MFHprocessing1@usda.gov by April 1, 2021; Nov. 1, 2021; or Nov. 1, 2022  

USDA Rural Development offers funding to help agricultural producers and small rural businesses develop new products from raw agricultural products or to promote new markets for established products. Electronic Application Deadline: March 16, 2021 | Paper Application Deadline: March 22, 2021 

USDA Rural Development offers grants to qualified intermediary organizations to provide technical assistance and training to help nonprofit organizations and communities develop their capacity to undertake housing, community facility, or economic development projects in rural areas. Electronic Application Deadline: March 22, 2021, on Grants.gov | Paper Application Deadline: March 29, 2021 

Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program 

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture provides grants to support education, mentoring, and technical assistance initiatives for beginning farmers and ranchers. Application Deadline: March 25, 2021 

Food Safety Outreach Program 

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture offers this program to build upon the national infrastructure to develop and implement food safety training, education, extension, outreach, and technical assistance projects that address the needs of owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. Application Deadline: April 1, 2021 

Treasury Wine Estates is one of the world's largest wine companies, listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Through world-class winemaking and brand marketing, our business is focused on meeting evolving consumer interests across the globe, and on delivering sustainable growth. Everything we do is dedicated to realizing our ambition of becoming the world's most admired premium wine company.

(707) 299-3122 tweglobal.com

Read more here.

View the Spanish version here. View the English version here.

Note: View the article "To Require or Not to Require Vaccinations...That is the Question." The article reaffirms the terms of the enclosed policy. We thank them for their contribution of this article. Contact your legal counsel if you have questions concerning the policy or how to implement it.

FELS COVID-19 News - February 21, 2021

You can read more at COVID-19 News & Resources for Farm Employers at FELS' website. 

 The public is invited to join the next virtual Groundwater Sustainability Commission (GSC) meeting on March 1, 2021 from 3:00pm-5:00pm via Zoom. GSC meetings are a great opportunity for interested parties to receive updates on the development of the SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP), to ask questions, and/or to share public comment. We will continue last meeting's discussion of Projects and Management Actions being considered to bring the SLO Basin into sustainability.  Learn more about this public meeting or register here.

It is anticipated that the Paso Basin Cooperative Committee will consider approving the Report at the March 17, 2021 meeting and submit to the Department of Water Resources by the April 1, 2021 SGMA deadline. Learn how to comment here. 

AgSnacc is a product of the South Coast Region Agricultural Education Consortium, comprised of several secondary agriculture programs, post-secondary institutions, and industry partners along the South Central Coast of California. This podcast series was created in collaboration with the Brock Center for Agricultural Communication in the Agricultural Education & Communication Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and the background music was contributed by Jason Shaw. 

The original purpose of AgSnacc was to facilitate agriculture career exploration within the virtual learning space. However, podcasts can serve as a tool both outside and inside the traditional classroom. Each interview focuses on the career itself, as well as the individual personal journey toward their current career. We hope that the accompanying curriculum materials can help agriculture teachers implement career exploration within their own classrooms, regardless of the mode of instruction. We look forward to continuing to add new tasty career interviews and curriculum resources to aid in career exploration in agriculture. Learn more here.

Our weekly E-News is sent out every Friday to our membership. If you're interested in an effective, low-cost advertising campaign ($150 a month) please give us a call or send an email to SLO County Farm Bureau Executive Director Brent Burchett.

Join SLO County Farm Bureau now or renew your membership online. Go to slofarmbureau.org to join, or download the membership form PDF. Have your renewal notice available to speed up the process; you will need to enter your membership number, name and ZIP code. Renewal dues may be paid online or over the phone by credit card.