Category Archives: Agriculture

Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program

The Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program from the USDA Farm Service Agency is designed to address shortages in farm labor availability while improving the supply chain. It will also improve working conditions for both domestic workers and workers hired from northern Central American countries under the seasonal H-2A visa program.

Awards will range from $25,000 to $2 million based on the number of full time equivalent workers the applicant intends to hire and addition benefits and protections they intend to provide. There is no matching requirement, nor is preference given to applicants who provide matching funds.

Applications are due through Grants.gov by November 28, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET.

Eligibility

This grant is open to domestic agricultural employers who can meet the regulatory requirements for the H-2A program.

Program Goals

  • Goal 1: Drive U.S. economic recovery and safeguard domestic food supply by addressing current labor shortages in agriculture 
  • Goal 2: Reduce irregular migration from Northern Central America through the expansion of regular pathways 
  • Goal 3: Improve working conditions for all farmworkers

Application Types

Photo by Mark Stebnicki: https://www.pexels.com/photo/farmers-plowing-on-the-field-8658557/

There are multiple ways to apply, based on the employer type.

  • Fixed-site Employer – Apply as an individual or individual business with a single site
  • Farm Labor Contractor – Apply as an individual or individual business with multiple sites
  • Joint Employers – Apply jointly with one main applicant and one or more sub-grantees each of who is responsible for program compliance on their own property
  • Association Joint Employers – Apply jointly with one main applicant and subgrantees who have agreed to share responsibility for compliance

Award Structure

Applicants may apply for a Baseline, Silver, or Platinum Level award.

1-10
FTE		11-25
FTE		26-75
FTE		76-200
FTE		201-500
FTE		500-2,000
FTE		2,000+
FTE
Baseline$25,000$50,000$100,000$150,000$180,000$215,000$250,000
Silver$100,000$200,000$400,000$600,000$720,000$860,000$1,000,000
Platinum$200,000$400,000$800,000$1,200,000$1,440,000$1,720,000$2,000,000
FTE = Full Time Employees

Benefits and Protections

Baseline

Photo by Mark Stebnicki: https://www.pexels.com/photo/farmers-busy-working-together-11678427/

Programs at all application levels must engage in Responsible Recruiting which includes all applicable federal, state, and local laws. If they choose to employ a private recruiter, they must be registered in the country in which they will operate, if possible, and submit a Recruiter Partner Level.

Silver and Platinum

To qualify for a Silver or Platinum level application, an applicant must commit to providing addtional benefits and protections as described below.

Responsible Recruitment

  • Silver – Recommended
  • Platinum – Required

Conduct recruitment via Northern Central American Ministries

Pay, Benefits, and Working Conditions

  • Silver – Choose at least two
  • Platinum – Choose at least three
  1. Overtime pay
  2. Bonus pay
  3. Paid sick leave
  4. Weekly Housing Maintenance Plan
  5. Collaborative Working Group
  6. Innovative External Partnership

Partnership Agreements

Image by Aline Ponce
  • Silver – Recommended
  • Platinum – Choose at least one
  1. Participation in a worker-driven social responsibility program
  2. Participation in a collective bargaining agreement
  3. Committing to neutrality, access, and voluntary recognition in unionization efforts

Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program

The Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture provides funding for projects that increases food access for low-income individuals.

There are two types of grants under this program: Planning Projects and Community Food Projects. Applications for both are due through Grants.gov by October 30, 2023 at 5:00 PM ET.

Eligibility

Applicants to this grant program must have experience with:

  • Community food work, especially working with small to medium sized farms to provide for low-income residents
  • Job training and business development for food-related activities in low-income communities
  • Efforts to redue food insecurity

Program Priorities

The Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program is intended to:

  • Meet food needs of low-income residents through measures such as food distribution, assistance to federally funded nutrition programs, and improving access to food
  • Increase community self-reliance for meeting food needs of residents
  • Promote comprehensive responses to local food, food access, farm, and nutrition issues

OR

  • Meet state, local, or neighborhood food and agricultural needs such as equipment, long-term planning, or creative marketing strategies to benefit both producers and low-income customers

Grant Programs

Planning Projects

Image by congerdesign

Planning Projects provide start-up capital for new projects or funding to perform planning activities in preparation for completing a Community Food Project. Applications and projects should focus on a specific, defined community and must involve low-income individuals.

Applicants may request up to $35,000 over 12-36 months; the average award is $25,000. A 1:1 match of non-federal funding is required.

Potential projects include:

  • Community food assessments
  • Collaborative development plans
  • Global Information Systems analyses
  • Food sovereignty studies
  • Farm-to-institution exploration

Community Food Projects

Community Food Projects should create long-term, sustainable solutions to food and nutrition security. They should have a whole community focus, rather than supporting just one food pantry, farmers’ market, or community garden. All projects must involve low-income individuals.

Image by Photo Mix

The minimum award is $125,000 over 12 months; the maximum award is $400,000 over 48 months. A 1:1 match of non-federal funding is required.

Potential projects include:

  • Value chain projects
  • Farm-to-institution projects
  • Food hubs
  • Marketing & consumer cooperatives

Farmers Advocating for Organic Grant

The Farmers Advocating for Organic Grant from Organic Valley funds research, education and advocacy projects in the field of organic farming. All money comes from voluntary contributions made by Organic Valley farmers.

One time grants of $5,000 – $50,000 are available; the average grant is $20,000. Letters of Interest are accepted during two annual grant cycles; the next deadline will be announced in April 2023. Submissions will receive a response within two weeks and, if approved, will be invited to submit a full application.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • Nonprofit organizations in the United States
  • Academic/research institutions

The organization’s reach should also extend beyond the geographic area in which they are located.

Current Priorities

Projects that focus on the following topics will receive priority consideration.

  • Benefiting family organic farmers who produce fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk, meat, and grain/forage
  • Organic soil health and biology
  • Strengthening CROPP Cooperative

All projects should advance Farmers Advocating for Organic’s mission: “to protect and promote the organic industry and the livelihood of organic farmers.”