CARES NAARP Industry Article
Administration Division
For agriculturists, 2020 has been a trying year. Between stalled markets, rising input costs, weather and fires, farmers and ranchers have had their hands full. We’ve seen commodity markets closing, endured the closures of livestock harvesting facilities and quelled the public fear of a food shortage. As ranchers and farmers, our days are long, stressful and mostly thankless, but the rewards far out way the negatives. It’s why we do it. Though 2020 has been tough, there are some funding opportunities currently available that can help with some of those unforeseen costs many of us have incurred.
As Nevada Department of Agriculture’s (NDA) COVID-19 resource coordinator, I can help you with our current relief funding program, the CARES Nevada Agriculture Adaptability and Recovery Program (NAARP). On March 27, 2020, the President signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (P.L. 116-136, CARES Act). This Act resulted in the creation of the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CFDA 21.019), which provides relief funding to states to address the various impacts arising from the pandemic. The NDA is administering more than $4 million to address food insecurity, strengthen or expand food supply chains and provide financial relief to farmers, ranchers and other agribusinesses for COVID-19 related expenses.
Thanks to these funds, the NDA created the NAARP to help relieve the stress food and agriculture businesses face in responding to the COVID-19 crisis through business adaptations and diversifications to ensure a safe and adequate food supply. Applicants must demonstrate how financial assistance is needed in response to impacts to their operation in adapting to operating during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Four types of eligible expenses
In a nutshell, the program has four areas for application of COVID-19 related expenses:
- Supplies/equipment to safely operate – reimbursement of eligible expenses that were necessary to help protect employees and customers in various agribusiness situations in response to COVID-19.
- Housing adaptations – reimbursement for on-farm housing modifications or provision of alternative on-farm housing needed to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
- New farmers markets fees – new farmers markets developed in response to disruptions in supply chains and markets due to the pandemic are eligible to have permit fees reimbursed. At least 51% of farmers market vendors must sell Nevada food products to qualify for permit fee reimbursement.
- Agribusiness COVID-19 relief assistance – any additional business expenses that would not have been incurred if not for the COVID-19 public health emergency will be considered for eligibility under this general funding category. You must qualify as a small business as designated by the U.S. Small Business Administration to apply for reimbursement under this funding category.
Help navigating the process is available
Depending on the changes you may have had to make to your business operation and/or infrastructure or supplies/equipment purchases that were made, you may qualify for at least one application area. For example, a producer who took orders online for the first time because markets were closed may be able to receive reimbursement for some of those costs. Other reimbursable costs would include purchasing gloves, masks and hand sanitizer to keep operations open and employees safe. Expenses are reimbursed up to $15,000 and applicants can apply more than once, if needed, until that $15,000 maximum is reached. The deadline for application is December 15, 2020 or until funds run out, on a first come first serve basis.
If you think this may be something you qualify for or have further questions, please reach out. We are here to help! You can learn more about the CARES NAARP program at agri.nv.gov/naarp, or feel free to email me at j.anderson@agri.nv.gov. I am happy to answer questions, walk you through the application process and even discuss other programs and opportunities out there.
From one fellow producer to another, I am right in the middle of the storm with you. I look forward to hearing from you and hope we, at NDA, can help during these challenging times!
By Jessica Anderson, COVID-19 Resource Coordinator
Jessica Anderson is the new COVID-19 Resource Coordinator for the NDA. As a rancher in Nevada, she has first-hand experience of the industry’s hardships, and how to navigate the assistance available. She is also a past high school agriculture teacher and outreach educator for Extension and is passionate about agriculture and helping those involved. She looks forward to helping agriculture producers successfully find and apply for funding that can assist during these difficult times.