National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition

Supporting the economic and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities.

Shoppers perusing produce at farmers market. Photo Credit: USDA

NSAC’s Response to
and Resources for COVID-19

NSAC’s Response to
and Resources for COVID-19

Last updated December 15, 2021. This page will be updated regularly with additional resources, action opportunities, and materials as the situation evolves.

  • CFAP 101 for Producers
  • Analysis from NSAC‘s Blog
  • Resources and Information from NSAC Members and Partners
  • NSAC Statement on COVID-19 and its Impacts on the Farm and Food System
  • Policy and Action Recommendations from NSAC
  • Data and Analysis Reference Resources

Analysis from NSAC’s Blog

Resources and Information from NSAC Members and Partners

As farmers and communities all across the country continue to deal with the impacts of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, NSAC is collecting resources from members, partners, and allies to help mitigate the challenges facing the food and farm system during this crisis. Visit this regularly-updated resource page here.

Our Statement on COVID-19 and its Impacts on the Farm and Food System

The rapidly developing COVID-19 pandemic is already causing significant impacts across the entirety of our US food and agriculture system. Necessary measures to contain the spread of the virus have resulted in restaurant, school, and institution closures and farmers losing critical markets and revenue. Food system workers are being laid off or having their hours drastically reduced as retail and wholesale food businesses temporarily close their doors – with others still working at risk to their health and safety. Commodity markets for agricultural products are eroding rapidly, and market disruptions threaten to restrict access to credit for farmers and ranchers, many already struggling from a long-term slide in farm income. Producers, families, and organizations that support them are all feeling the heightened stress of safely managing daily life through great uncertainty. 

This pandemic will continue to cause both short- and long-term disruptions to our farm and food system. Many farmers and ranchers have already made production decisions for the year – and the growing season will not wait, nor will birthing animals. Moreover, crises like this hit the vulnerable the hardest: communities of color, those without a stable home or job, elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities or pre-existing health conditions, and workers unable to stay home from work without losing their job. It remains unclear when all of these impacts will recede.

What is clear is that in the months ahead, the resilience of our farm and food system will be an essential factor in determining our success in responding to this pandemic. As a society, we must work with urgency to stem impacts and to advance solutions that will help us weather this crisis together, with a focus on ensuring that those most impacted are driving the conversation and receiving the support they need. Now is a time for collaboration and solidarity. The farmers and food system workers we represent are also our neighbors, family, and friends, sharing our concerns and hopes for the future. Working together, we hold important solutions that can help us not only navigate this major challenge but take proactive steps toward making our food and agriculture system more equitable, resilient, and sustainable. 

NSAC and our 130+ members are coordinating, collaborating, and organizing to support farmers, food system workers, and families. Here’s what that looks like:

  • Our team is operating fully virtually to reduce transmission risks. All NSAC in-person events and meetings have been cancelled, postponed, or shifted to virtual convening until April 2020. We will extend this in-person event freeze as long as needed to align with emerging public health guidance.
  • One of our two core strengths is our policy work, and we will focus our efforts there. We are mobilizing rapidly to develop and advocate for policy solutions and administrative flexibility to include in any pandemic-related emergency legislative packages over the next few days and weeks, as well as broader, holistic policy ideas that respond to the structural challenges and long-term impact facing our members and communities we serve.
  • Our other core strength is our grassroots power. We will focus here too by creating and lifting up grassroots opportunities to engage in policy advocacy through online actions and all the virtual tools available to us, including hosting our first-ever virtual fly-in in March. Sign up here to stay in the loop on action opportunities: https://sustainableagriculture.net/subscribe/
  • Our members represent a powerful network of grassroots organizations holding deep relationships with farmers and community leaders – they are mobilizing to offer mutual aid and immediate support on the ground. We will be signal-boosting these rapidly emerging community-based support and organizing efforts, along with critical reference resources for the community.

Going forward, we will continue to identify and work to implement systems that will serve our society and its food needs for generations to come, in part to help navigate future emergencies and strengthen our collective resilience when crises arrive. To that end, local and regional food systems offer solutions on how to feed ourselves under normal circumstances, but especially during crises, including decentralized capacity to produce and distribute food via direct market channels like farmers markets and CSAs and emergency food assistance channels like food pantries. Local and regional economies are stronger when supply chains are shorter, with both producers and consumers sharing a common economic interest and retaining wealth and ownership within their communities. Our local food system has always ensured food safety practices are implemented and upheld; it utilizes less handling, storage and distance from harvest to the point of sale and will continue to provide communities with safe and nutritious food. 

The gravity of the situation warrants a commensurate response from Congress, the Administration, state and local authorities, philanthropy, organizations, businesses, and individuals. This will not be the last crisis our country and its farm and food system faces. We can offer long-term solutions for shifting these systems toward the transformational change needed in the face of increasing uncertainty and challenges.

Today we are highlighting the following urgent opportunities to act to protect and sustain farmers, ranchers, and the most at-risk and impacted individuals in our communities. This list will be updated and revised as the situation continues evolving rapidly and as we coordinate with members and assess needs in the field.

Policy Recommendations

  • Ensure all farmers are included in any broader stimulus or farm relief package 

Many small and mid-sized farms, limited resource farms, and farms operated by farmers of color are not well served by existing crop insurance or revenue programs designed for commodity growers and were left out of past Market Facilitation Program payments. It is vital that any legislation considered to address the farm and food sector include specific provisions to assist these producers. 

  • Sustain demand for farm products and ensure equitable food access and distribution through direct purchase mechanisms and expanded food aid

Small and mid-sized farmers often rely on direct sales to the public and institutions, both markets that have been severely disrupted. To ensure the long term sustainability of family farms, federal response should prioritize the purchase of fresh and minimally processed foods displaced from local markets, food hubs, and institutions for emergency feeding operations and acknowledge these enterprises as essential services. 

  • Provide direct financial assistance to producers affected by the loss of domestic markets through USDA’s disaster, indemnity, and other program authorities

Market disruptions coinciding with spring plantings will restrict access to credit for farmers, especially small farmers, under-resourced farmers, farmers of color, and beginning farmers. Federal response should ensure equitable access to credit and permit the modification of existing loans, provide emergency write-downs, develop novel loan-grant programs, and consider alternative financing structures for small and mid-sized farmers and operators. 

  • Provide direct financial assistance to critical supply chain businesses, food system workers, and food establishments

Many independent small businesses that rely on small and mid-sized farms for the products they serve (e.g. restaurants) or inputs they develop further will also be affected by the current disruption of markets. After decades of consolidation in the broader farm and food system it is vital to ensure that federal assistance reaches these independent operations, that the dedicated food and farm workforce is eligible for paid leave and other support, and that federal funds for nutrition and food access programs are commensurate to address increased food insecurity. 

  • Offer increased administrative flexibility for existing farm and food system programs

Quick action by federal, state and local governments to modify programs that support farm and food systems is necessary to ensure that existing structures can meet the new demands created by the pandemic. Agencies should extend current and future grant deadlines, widen sign-up windows for farm and food programs, temporarily waive cost share requirements, and provide all reasonable administrative flexibility to program operators to facilitate their ongoing work. 

Community-scale opportunities to act for individuals, organizations, and businesses

  • Shop from farmers directly wherever you can – farmers markets, online, by signing up for (or continuing) Community Supported Agriculture shares, and via local food businesses like restaurants and grocers who source local farm products. Keep your own personal supply chain as short as possible! 
  • Press your Congressional delegation to include support for farmers and communities most impacted in any federal aid package. 
  • If you are able, donate to local aid and response efforts working to feed those who are experiencing and will experience economic hardship for months to come.
  • Connect with our members directly – we are collecting and will share soon a regularly updated list of NSAC members’ emerging mutual aid and response efforts.

Food, agriculture, and environmental philanthropy opportunities for support

  • Offer flexibility around deliverables and timelines for organizations engaged in emergency response efforts.
  • Convert project funds to general operating funds, or redefine projects on an urgent basis to reflect current circumstances and new needs.
  • Increase funding to support frontline rapid response, organizing and policy advocacy, and long-term recovery needs, with particular focus on communities most impacted.

The weeks and months ahead will be challenging for all of us in unprecedented ways. We are humbled and inspired by all of the actions already taking place nationwide, and we are committed to doing our part to carry this work forward. Please be assured that a vibrant and growing community of sustainable farming and food system advocates has been, and will be, working hard to assure new systemic solutions and a better world for all of us. The food we eat, and soil upon which we tread, will help bind us together and carry us forward in this challenging time.  

Data and Analysis Reference Resources