SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Sixteen Illinois farmers received emergency relief aid as part of Farm Aid’s national COVID-19 Farmer Resilience Initiative.
Farm Aid distributed $400,000 in relief funds in $500 increments to farmers across all 50 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, working with more than 120 local, state and regional organizations across the country to pair immediate farmer relief efforts with longer term resilience strategies.
“We partnered with Farm Aid to distribute the emergency relief aid and the Illinois Farmers Union and The Land Connection worked with us,” said Liz Moran Stelk, Illinois Stewardship Alliance executive director.
“The farmers were from all over the state, 10 are woman-owned, six are organic and three raise livestock. They told us they’re struggling with another year of low grain prices, increased labor and equipment costs from social distancing, closed farmers markets and backups in meat processing.
“Some lost their off-farm job after the shelter order. Many said that $500 support will go a long way on the home front to stay afloat. There were many more applications than funds available. Many farmers who need support won’t qualify or be able to access the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program federal aid.”
Grants will help farmers meet household expenses and are paired with resources developed by Farm Aid’s national partners, which include Farmers’ Legal Action Group, Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA, Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative, Intertribal Agriculture Council and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. Together, these partners work to help farmers and ranchers navigate recovery.
“Farmers and ranchers face a deep and multifaceted farm crisis. Federal responses to both the ongoing economic crisis and COVID-19 have unfortunately flowed to farms with the most resources, as well as powerful corporate interests, leaving the vast majority of farmers high and dry,” said Alicia Harvie, Farm Aid’s Advocacy and Farmer Services director.
“Without aggressive action, we will lose thousands of farms and ranches to this crisis, with ripple effects across our food system that are sure to further drain rural economies, impoverish food and farm workers and consolidate land and markets into even fewer hands.”
To help farm families recover from the impacts of COVID-19, the Farmer Resilience Initiative is:
• Investing in farmer-led solutions to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Deploying emergency grants to family farmers and ranchers in need, particularly those producers that are less likely to receive federal and state disaster aid.
• Coordinating a national network of experts to create comprehensive resources for farmers.
• Offering support to farmers under stress through the 1-800-FARM-AID hotline and connecting farmers to the legal, financial and mental health support resources they need to recover.
• Supporting local, state and national farm organizations working on the ground to help farmers navigate this crisis.
• Advocating for needed COVID recovery funds and resources from the federal government for short-term relief and long-term resilience.
On April 11, Farm Aid hosted a virtual show, At Home with Farm Aid, with performances by Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews to show support and solidarity for family farmers and ranchers.
The livestreamed event raised the $400,000 for the COVID-19 Farmer Resilience Initiative to allow for rapid distribution of the $500 grants. The application process started June 6 and was filled quickly.
Farm Aid’s collaborative approach to the Farmer Resilience Initiative is informed by more than 30 years of experience in disaster response, which relies on the participation and strength of grassroots organizations on the ground in affected communities.
By handing major decision-making authority over to the local and regional organizations that work most directly with farmers, Farm Aid shares power with its grantees and supports local leadership to best address the needs of America’s diverse farm communities.