The April 23 deadline is nearing for corporate donations to American Farmland Trust's Farmer Relief Fund, which seeks to help farmers tough out market disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
About $750,00 of the initial $1 million goal has been raised, but strong farmer demand for help from the program makes it evident that additional funding will be required, the organization said.
All money received will go directly to farmers, with the initial emphasis on direct-market producers with annual gross revenue of $10,000 to $1 million. Through the focus could broaden later, the fund will concentrate for now on farms that sell at farmers markets or to restaurants, caterers, school, stores or makers who use farm products.
Eligible farmers will receive grants of up to $1,000. It's expected that grants will begin going out in the week of May 1.
American Farmland Trust "bills itself as the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on the loans, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work."
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More information on the fund: https://farmland.org/farmer-relief-fund .
