Health officials worldwide are closely monitoring and responding to the pandemic of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The New Mexico Farmers' Marketing Association (NMFMA) works to build the local food system by supporting agriculture producers and communities across the state. During this current crisis, the NMFMA is joining together with state agencies, local organizations, farmers, funders, and other groups across the country to provide the resources you need during this time of uncertainty.
As the current COVID-19 situation continues to rapidly evolve, check this page regularly. The NMFMA staff is working remotely by phone or email, so let us know how we can help.
COVID-19 is affecting most areas of our lives, from our businesses to who we see, to how we pay our rent or mortgage. We hope the following resources are helpful to you during this transition. Check back frequently as the resources will be updated regularly.
The Agriculture Department on Tuesday rolled out the final details of its $16 billion direct payment package for farmers and ranchers, one month after first announcing the aid program. Find out more.
This section has a variety of COVID-related resources that may be useful for your farmers market, farm stand, CSA, grocery store, or other outlet. All of these resources have been vetted by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture and the New Mexico Environment Department.
How to Use a Non-contact Infrared Thermometers - Non-contact infrared thermometers are medical devices. Learn about the benefits and the proper use for accurate results.
COVID-19 Recovery Assistance Resources for Agriculture Industry, updated May 19, 2020.
Liability and Risk Management is a toolkit about how common risks materialize and what a farmers market can do about them.
Adding Pick-up and Order Options at Farmers Markets Through COVID-19 - Learn how to proactively address the legal risks of adding advance ordering and curbside pickup to creating a program that will last. Webinar on May 21, 2020.
Covid Safe Practices for Grocery Stores & Farmers' Markets, as of May 15, 2020 from the New Mexico Department of Health.
Are You a Grower with Food to Sell? If you are a grower with surplus food to move due to changing circumstances with your regular buyers at farmers' markets, schools, restaurants, or other venues, please fill out this very short form to let us know what you have to sell and we can assist you.
Farm Business Sustainability Amid Coronavirus: This best practices document for farms amid novel coronavirus (COVID-19) includes farm workers, equipment, facilities, food handling, and more, as of March 18, 2020
Navigating COVID-19 Relief for Farmers: A great summary of relief sources as of May 4, 2020
Farmers' Guide to COVID-19 Relief (April 27) from the Farmers' Legal Action Group covers everything from the CARES Act, to Payment Protection Program (PPP), to unemployment and more
Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility, from the CDC
Best Practices for Retail Food Stores, Restaurants, and Food Pick-Up/Delivery Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic, from the FDA
Considerations for Farm Operations, a compendium of information from NMSU Cooperative Extension
New Mexico Agriculture Industry Information Related to COVID-19 includes Public Health, Food Safety, Produce Safety, Cooperative Extension Service information, For Business/Employers, For Employees, NMDA, Veterinary Diagnosis Services, New Mexico Livestock Board, Livestock Markets, Farmers Markets, Beef Council, and more
Food Retailers Infographic, from the CDC
NMDA Produce Safety Videos includes videos on:
Food Contact Surfaces
Hand washing for Agricultural Workers
Packing Zones and Cleaning
Produce Safety Matters includes four animations that illustrate how contamination can spread from field to table and suggest ways to avoid this. This information is good for growers, packing centers, and retailers who rely on one another to prevent contamination and keep consumers safe.
Understanding the role of prevention and spread of COVID-19 during food processing, transportation, distribution, and sales is an important step in maintaining the health of all New Mexicans. The NMFMA has resources to help keep you and your food businesses safe.
Resources provided in this section include science-based information and tips on how to follow COVID-19 specific guidelines to reduce the risk of exposure for you, your employees and their families, as well as your customers throughout the food system.
With the increased use of the word "disinfecting" due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its important for retail establishments to understand the difference between disinfecting and sanitizing. Learn about both in the article, Sanitizing and Disinfection in Retail Establishments.
Meal delivery and take-out meals are gaining in popularity due to COVID-19 restrictions. Many prepared foods are perishable and can cause illness if not held under the proper time and temperature controls during preparation or prior to pick up. Learn how to provide safe to-go and delivery services in the article, Providing Safe To-Go and Food Delivery Services.
With the risk of Coronavirus rising in the US, food establishments should be implementing controls to minimize risk of COVID-19 among their personnel and begin planning. The article Preparing Food Processing Operations for Coronavirus explains the CDC and WHO guidance for food processors.
NMDA Produce Safety Videos are a helpful resource and includes videos on:
Food Contact Surfaces
Hand washing for Agricultural Workers
Packing Zones and Cleaning
Produce Safety Matters includes four animations that illustrate how contamination can spread from field to table and suggest ways to avoid this. This information is good for growers, packing centers, and retailers who rely on one another to prevent contamination and keep consumers safe.
New Mexico's Online Food Safety Training
All food safety training is now online for all growers, including those planning to sell to New Mexico's Public Education Department (PED). Here are your options:
1) PED returning vendors:
Complete Returning PED Vendors: Approved Supplier Program online videos and quizzes (login required).
2) New PED vendors and other growers:
If you will be selling to the schools in the 2020-2021 school year as a new vendor, you must complete the Online Produce Safety Risk Assessment Training (read the complete list of training requirements and FAQs here)
Check back frequently for updates as information becomes available. Deadlines for emergency fund applications are often short but we update information often.
The New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association's Local Food Supply Chain Response Fund: The first round of grants were funded on April 30. Check back for new funding that will become available. New funding is likely to be available in June (please check back). $110,000 was awarded to the first round of applications on May 1. Thank you to funders: The Thornburg Foundation, #NoRegrets Initiative, and First Nations Development Institute.
Agricultural Businesses Now Eligible for Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Loan Advance: Eligible agricultural businesses may apply for the Loan Advance here. To prepare your application, review the webinar on EIDL and reference this helpful tutorial video that walks you through the application process, step by step.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rapid Response to Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Impacts Across Food and Agricultural Systems (Due June 4, 2020): This program is designed to rapidly enhance and fill knowledge and information gaps, and strengthen and support critical cross-cutting issues to protect the food and agriculture supply chain; health and security of livestock; safety of our foods; and the well-being of farm, food service providers, and rural Americans. Awards will be made to research institutions to discover strategies that mitigate threats posed by COVID-19 to the U.S. agricultural system. Projects should develop and deploy rapid, reliable, and readily adoptable strategies across the food and agriculture system utilizing interdisciplinary approaches and teams.
Resources in this section will cover a broad range of topics, from legal aid to government opportunities. There may be crossover with other categories. Farmers Legal Action Groups (FLAGs) top priority is supporting family farmers and their communities so that farmers can stay on the land. FLAGs attorneys and staff are working full time to help farm families face the stresses of dealing with COVID-19 and its legal and financial consequences. For free legal services and support, farmers can call their national toll-free hotline at 877-860-4349.
USDA Announces Details of Direct Assistance to Farmers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to Americas farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. There is a payment limitation of $250,000 per person or entity for all commodities combined. Applicants who are corporations, limited liability companies or limited partnerships may qualify for additional payment limits Producers can apply for assistance beginning on May 26, 2020 and USDA will begin sending out checks as soon as a week later. Additional information and application forms can be found here.
Legal Guide to many government programs: FLAGs most recent Farmers Guide to COVID-19 Relief can be found at the link below.
Updated Farmers Guide to COVID-19 Relief April 27, 2020 covers everything from the CARES Act, to Payment Protection Program (PPP), to Unemployment and more!
The Guide contains:
And much more!
New Mexico First Agriculture COVID-19 Survey Report 5.6.20: Learn what folks in the agricultural industry are saying about how COIVD-19 is impacting their lives and their work. We are inspired and hope you are, too. New Mexico First worked with stakeholders at NMSU, the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau, and the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association to share a simple survey to learn about how people in New Mexico agriculture are dealing with COIVD-19.
If you run a farmers market, CSA, or local food hub, check here for innovative ideas from around the state to see what others are doing to accommodate COVID-19.
Pickup and Order Options at Farmers Market: Create Resilience, Not Legal Vulnerability [Webinar]
Thursday, May 21, 2020, 3pm ET / 2pm CT / 1pm MT / 12 PT - As Farmers Markets add curbside pickup, take advance orders, and offer bundled market purchases, customers are getting fresh, local foods in the midst of a pandemic. But, these innovations can also bring legal risk as well. With some advance planning, market managers can address these risks and create a program with strength beyond COVID-19. Register here...
Albuquerque Downtown Growers' Market
Albuquerque Rail Yards Farmers' Market
Freshtable: A turn-key platform that lets farmers markets move to delivery.
Farm Cart NM: New Mexico's first virtual farmers market.
Check back for more!
While most in-person events have been canceled, there are a host of online trainings and webinars:
New Mexico's Online Food Safety Training
All food safety training is now online for all growers, including those planning to sell to New Mexico's Public Education Department (PED). Here are your options:
Open source viewing of the NMFMAs food safety video modules (no quizzes or course certificate) head here.
NM Grown Approved Supplier Program head here.
May 2020 Webinar Series, Intertribal Ag Council featuring May Webinar Series
A webinar series, Resiliency through Agriculture, developed by team members at the Intertribal Ag Council (IAC) explored topics under the IAC mission areas of Legal and Policy, Professional Development, Conservation and Production Innovation, Food Systems, Communications and Economics. Resiliency through Agriculture is an initiative to help educate producers, provide them resources and offers toolkits that will help them make informed decisions.
IAC, has seized the opportunity to adapt their programming to bring industry and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) information to producers in Indian Country during these unforeseen circumstances, said Jacob Pelkey with Micmac Farms. The work of IAC unites the voice of the producer in a way that starts with the grassroots needs of our communities.
The following seven grassroots topics were featured during May, 2020. Webinar archives are linked below:
Topic: Resources in Response to COVID-19
Q&A with Intertribal Agriculture Councils Executive Director, Zach Ducheneaux. Covering resources available to Native American and Alaskan Native agriculture producers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recorded May 5, 2020
View the recording here
Topic: Beef Marketing: Marketing, Packaging, Distributing
Recorded May 12, 2020
View the recording here
Topic: Traditional Plant Restoration and Innovation
Recorded May 19, 2020
View the recording here
Read the August 17, 2021, Public Health Order here.
Read the May 21, 2021, COVID-Safe Practices for Individuals and Employers here.
Here are some highlights:
