Colorado Farm & Food Systems Respond & Rebuild Fund 2
The Colorado Farm & Food Systems Response and Rebuild Fund has opened a second round of grants for farmers and ranchers scrambling to do business in the new era of coronavirus.
The financial assistance to be divided between several recipients this month totals $200,000. It is designed to help fund necessary changes in marketing and delivering ag products.
The Colorado Farm & Food Systems Response and Rebuild Fund has already distributed $140,000 to 27 farms, ranches and ag related groups.
Colorado Department of Ag’s Wendy White says several organizations have come together to create the Colorado Farm & Food Systems Response Team to support farmers and ranchers responding to changing market opportunities and food-security challenges.
White: “The Colorado Farm & Food Systems Response Team has put together a really great partnership with funders in the area to provide funding for producers especially small to mid-sized farmers and ranchers. There is an application. If you click on the COVID link you’ll find resources to this funding.”
The program is designed to make funding flexible for a variety of expenses like equipment leasing, migrating to online sales platforms and other direct-to-consumer marketing expenses, paid time off for employees to get tested if they feel sick and reimbursement for the cost of the test.
A third round of grants will be distributed later this year organizers say it will likely be made available toward the end of the summer season. They say by then, losses and needs related to the virus and the supply chain challenges will become more clear.
The application process for this second round of grants closes June 18th. People interested in applying or donating to help Colorado producers through this difficult time can go to www.cofoodsystems.org.
