Thank you farmers for ensuring our communities have access to safe and nutritious food!
We’ve pulled together this list of resources from across the internet to help you and your farm business during this time. Please reach out if you have other ideas for ways we can support you, or if you have other great resources to add to this list.
Farm on! Farmers are heroes!
Resources for Farmers:
1. Add your farm to the U-Map
Add yourself to the U-Map so consumers can find your farm, or ensure your current listing is up to date. Consider including any pickup or delivery information in your listing.
2. Regional Facebook Groups
Connect with others in your area for support, brainstorming sessions, volunteers, or to promote your farm business:
British Columbia:
- Young Agrarians Lower Mainland
- Young Agrarians Vancouver Island & Gulf Islands
- Young Agrarians Central & Northern B.C.
- Young Agrarians Columbia Basin (Kootenay)
- Young Agrarians Okanagan – Thompson
- Young Agrarians – Sea to Sky
Alberta:
Saskatchewan:
Manitoba:
Maritimes:
3. Financial Support for Farmers & Small Business
- Canada: Government of Canada: EI, Labour Program, Work-Sharing Program
- Canada: Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, including further support for small businesses and self-employed, and farmers through Farm Credit Canada
- Canada: Surplus Food Rescue Program is a time-limited program to help manage and redirect existing surpluses to organizations addressing food insecurity and to avoid food waste during COVID-19. Deadline July 31, 2020 or until funds are exhausted.
- British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories: Emergency Processing Fund for food processing, manufacturing or greenhouse operations
- Canada: Many banks and credit unions are offering deferred mortgage payments. E.g. Vancity, ATB, Alberta Credit Unions. Inquire with your institution.
- The B.C. Business COVID-19 Support Service is operated by Small Business BC and is a one-stop resource for businesses that have questions about the supports available from the provincial and federal governments, industry and community partners. Advisors are available Monday to Friday, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at 1-833-254-4357 or covid@smallbusinessbc.ca.
- BC On-Farm Food Safety Program: Funding Available for Personal Protective Equipment
- BC Food and Beverage: Ordering for Personal Protective Equipment
- BC: Buy BC E-commerce funding stream (Applications CLOSED)
- BC: B.C. Agri-Business Planning Program (Applications for the COVID-19 Business Recovery Planning stream will be prioritized)
- ALBERTA: *New April 6* Comprehensive list of supports for small business in Alberta from Business Link.
- ALBERTA: WCB Premium Relief for Employers
4. Farm and Agri-Sector Resources
- Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council: Information & Tips on COVID-19
- Agriculture and AgriFood Canada
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- Certified Organic Associations of BC and BC Farmers’ Market Association have great resources on their websites
- Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan: Support for Canadians and Businesses
- AgSafe BC has updated their website with COVID-19 related workplace safety resources on prevention procedures, enhanced cleaning, exposure control plan, signage, etc.
- GrowingFarmers.com: Resources on how to communicate with customers, what other farmers are doing, and a great guide for pivoting your business to reach your customers better
5. Free Educational Courses
- Jean Martin Fortier is offering a free mini course on washing stations
- Oregon State University Master Gardener Series: Vegetable Gardening
6. Farm Workers
- Government of Alberta Non-Healthcare Workplace Guidance During COVID-19
- BC: Protecting Farm Workers and Temporary Foreign Workers During the
COVID-19 Pandemic - Go2HR Job Board – has opened its tourism and hospitality focused job board to include the agriculture and food processing sector. This provides a unique opportunity to connect displaced tourism and hospitality employees (due to COVID-19 pandemic) with employment opportunities in agriculture. Producers and processors can post their job vacancies on the job board for free here: www.go2HR.ca
- Have you lost employees or interns due to the border issues? Do you need more workers? We can post or repost your opportunities on our website and social media. Please visit youngagrarians.org/farm-jobs to post a new listing, or email Michi at community@youngagrarians.org to repost your listing.
7. Sales and Distribution
- Young Agrarians – DIY WEBSITE TOOLKIT FOR FARMERS & FOOD PRODUCERS: ECOMMERCE TRICKS, TIPS & TOOLS!
- Government of Alberta – Alberta Guidance for Farmers’ Markets and Public Markets
- Alberta Farmers Market Association – COVID 19 Recommendations for Food Establishments
- Direct Farm Manitoba – Manitoba Farmers’ Markets: COVID-19
- Harvie video on Food and Packaging Safety Discussion
- NCSU Social Media Graphics re. Fresh produce
- NCSU Flyer: HANDLING COVID-19: PRODUCE FARMS AND PACKINGHOUSES
- Ontario Federation of Agriculture – A Guide for Direct Sales to Consumers during COVID-19 and Beyond
- BC: Recommendations for U-Pick, Farm Stands, and Agritourism
8. Health and Wellbeing
- BC COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool: https://covid19.thrive.health/
- Government of Canada: COVID-19 and mental health at work
- heretohelp: COVID-19 and Anxiety
- Crisis Lines BC: Mental Health Support
9. Business Risk Management
- Canadian Chamber of Commerce Pandemic Preparedness for Business
Are there other ways we can support you?
For example, facilitating a google hangout with farmers in different regions to brainstorm solutions? Other ways we can advocate for farmers? Let us know your thoughts and ideas. Email community@youngagrarians.org.
Sharing Positive Stories
We’d love to share your stories of success and positivity during these challenging times. Please get in touch if you’d like to write a guest blog post, or share something on our social media.
Event Series Updates
We are monitoring the situation and how it will affect our on-farm and educational event series this season. We will attempt to move events to a digital format when possible, or postpone events for later in the summer. Sign up for our regional newsletters for updates.
Young Agrarians staff already work remotely, so we will be continuing our work (mostly) as normal. However we will be taking precautions to limit contact for site visits etc.
From all of us at Young Agrarians, we are wishing you health, safety, and access to nourishing food during this time. ♡ Please reach out if we can support you in any way.