Farm and Food Resources for the COVID-19 pandemic

Tuesday, March 17, 2020 // Jennifer Hashley

Many agriculture service providers and farmers are working to address the imminent threat of COVID-19 and continue to support a resilient, local, just and regenerative food system. Organizations across the region/country are working on immediate hardships faced by farmers and food businesses (like restaurant closings, institutional account closures, how to handle upcoming farm/community/educational events, and how to support vendors after farmers markets cancel) and the longer term implications that these disruptions will cause (advocating for farmers and food businesses to receive economic support through emergency relief and state or federal economic stimulus packages).

New Entry has created an online shared resource document containing links and articles compiled from various food/farm organizational websites and newsletters over the past few days to offer farmers and food businesses some additional resources in response to the evolving crisis.   Please feel free to add additional resources that your farm or agricultural support organization have found useful.

We are also conducting a survey of farm and food producers in Eastern Mass to determine most pressing needs and ways that New Entry can mobilize support.  Please complete the survey here.

New Entry hosted a Webinar on Wednesday, March 18 at 1pm EST  to discuss what other organizations are doing to prepare for and address farm/food resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Unfortunately, due to a bizarre technical snafu, there is no recording of the Webinar (apologies, maybe we were victims of a “Zoombombing”?), but, here is the link to the PPT slides from the IRC and a link to the Chat file from the webinar that contains useful links and recommendations from participants.

We hope that everyone is staying healthy and continuing to strategize how to best leverage our local food systems to continue to provide access to fresh, nutritious food to our communities during these unprecedented times. Please be in touch by email:  nesfp@tufts.edu if you have any additional thoughts, strategies, or suggestions of how New Entry might support you or your farm during these unprecedented times.

We are sending everyone good health and productive vibes.   In solidarity, your New Entry team.

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