All Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services offices are currently closed to the public until further notice. View COVID-19 Information.

Division of Licensing Regional Offices have reopened to the public. All services require an appointment.

Agriculture Producers:

For further clarification and assistance, feel free to reach out to our External Affairs team. They are here to help with any questions you may have.

Keep Florida Growing

Florida Farm To You Commodities List

With restaurants and foodservice businesses closed due to COVID-19, agricultural producers across the country have struggled to sell perishable products like fruits and vegetables. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) are working to support our farmers, ranchers and producers, as well as consumers, during this difficult time.

We have created the Florida Farm To You Commodities List to connect potential buyers with farmers and producers of Florida-grown commodities like fresh produce, seafood, poultry and more. Buyers, food banks and consumers can directly connect with growers selling these products using contact information on the list.

The Florida Farm To You Commodities List is updated daily with Florida-grown products including tomatoes, watermelons, lettuce, blueberries, oysters, chicken, tilapia and more.

View the Florida Farm To You Commodities List.

For Agriculture Producers

Current FDACS Initiatives

Education

Videos and Testimonials from Florida Farmers

Worker Proof of Employment Letter Template for Travel

Food Safety Guidance for Food Workers

Economic Assistance for Agriculture Producers

CARES Act

The CARES Act included $34.9 billion in funding related to Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. The administration and distribution of these funds is still being finalized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Commissioner Fried and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) staff are in close contact with the USDA, urging swift action to ensure that Florida’s agriculture industry has the support, flexibility and security necessary during these unprecedented times.

See a list of specific funding provisions in the CARES Act[ ].

The previous response package, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), also authorized emergency paid sick leave and an expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act that went into effect April 1, 2020. Learn more about FFCRA.

The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

Under the CARES Act, the USDA received $19 billion to help America's farmers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Sixteen billion dollars will be used on direct support for farmers and ranchers with losses from COVID-19, and $3 billion will go to USDA purchases and distribution. Full details on the breakdown of spending and available support are expected soon. The USDA must complete its rulemaking process before the details are finalized.

Of the $16 billion in direct support, the breakdown is expected as follows*:

$9.6 billion for the livestock industry ($5.1 billion for cattle, $2.9 billion for dairy, and $1.6 billion for hogs)
$3.9 billion for row crops producers
$2.1 billion for specialty crop producers
$500 million for producers of all other crops

*These are the anticipated details, but the details will not be finalized until the USDA completes its rulemaking process.

Of the $3 billion for purchases and distribution:

$100 million per month in fresh fruits and vegetables
$100 million per month in a variety of dairy products
$100 million per month in meat products

The USDA is making these purchases through its Farmers to Families Food Box Program. Agricultural producers must be USDA-approved vendors to participate. Producers who are interested in participating must apply before the deadline of 1 p.m. on Friday, May 1. Learn more about the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.

The USDA will also use other funds to provide food to those in need:

$873.3 million in Section 32 funding for a variety products and for distribution to food banks.
$850 million for food bank administrative costs and USDA food purchases (minimum of $600 million on food purchases).

Additional Information:

For updates and more information on the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, visit Farmers.gov/coronavirus.

For more information from the USDA on COVID-19, visit USDA.gov/coronavirus.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program

The CARES Act also created the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, which provides unemployment compensation benefits for employees traditionally not eligible for these programs including self-employed, independent contractors, and those with limited work history.

For more information for both employers and employees on these expanded benefits and policy changes, visit DOL.gov/coronavirus.

Unemployment Insurance (UI) Provisions in the CARES Act

The CARES Act allows individuals to receive unemployment benefits if unable to work or facing reduced hours due to COVID-19. This includes those directly impacted by the coronavirus, if you have symptoms, are quarantined, or caring for someone who has been infected.

View a summary of CARES Act Unemployment Insurance Provisions[ ].

Contact the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to apply.

U.S. Small Business Administration Economic Assistance Programs

Paycheck Protection Program

On Friday, April 3, 2020, The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) opened applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

All small businesses, including agricultural producers, are eligible to participate in the program and should reach out to their bankers and/or agricultural lenders to apply immediately. While SBA continues to confirm some administrative details, loans will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis and producers can begin the application now.

The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. SBA will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. There is no fee to apply for a Paycheck Protection Program Loan.

For small businesses to apply, they will work directly with their participating lender. Find eligible lenders.

Who Can Apply?

This program is for any small business with less than 500 employees (including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and self-employed persons), private non-profit organization or 501(c)(19) veterans organizations affected by coronavirus/COVID-19.

Businesses in certain industries may have more than 500 employees if they meet the SBA’s size standards for those industries.

Small businesses in the hospitality and food industry with more than one location could also be eligible if their individual locations employ less than 500 workers.

Paycheck Protection Program: Helpful Links

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)

Farmers, ranchers and nursery operations are not currently eligible for EIDL. Small aquaculture operations, small agriculture cooperatives, and agriculture-dependent entities whose primary business is not farming or ranching, such as restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, farmers markets, packinghouses and distributors, are eligible for EIDL if size standards are met.

Learn more about EIDL.

SBA 7(a) Program Loans

Agriculture businesses are also eligible to apply for an SBA 7(a) Program Loan.

Small Business Emergency Bridge Loans

Small agricultural business owners in Florida have a new resource available to help them through the COVID-19 pandemic. The Florida Emergency Bridge Loan Program for Small Businesses was activated by Governor DeSantis on March 16, 2020, and business owners can apply starting on March 17, 2020. All small businesses, including agriculture producers, that have between two and 100 employees, were established prior to March 9, 2020, and can demonstrate an economic impact from COVID-19 are able to apply. Qualified applicants will be eligible to receive a short-term, interest-free loan of up to $50,000 for one year. Up to $50 million will be made available for the loan program. Businesses interested in the Emergency Bridge Loan Program can get more information and download an application online at FloridaDisasterLoan.org. Applications will be accepted from qualified Florida small businesses through May 8, 2020.

For questions regarding the Emergency Bridge Loan Program, contact the Florida Small Business Development Center Network at 1-866- 737-7232 or email Disaster@FloridaSBDC.org. The phone line will be answered during regular business hours; all voice mails and emails will be responded to within 24 hours.

COVID-19 Business Damage Assessment Survey

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has also released a survey for business damage assessment related to COVID-19. The survey will evaluate businesses affected and the impacts the virus has had on the local economy to begin action to implement appropriate relief programs. The survey is NOT an application for resources; however, answering the questions can aid in applying for the Emergency Bridge Loan, as well as to access the federal Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan, made available for COVID-19 through the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act. The survey can be taken online.

Farm Service Agency Servicing

USDA’s Farm Service Agency is relaxing the loan-making process and adding flexibilities for servicing direct and guaranteed loans to provide credit to producers in need.

More information is available at Farmers.gov/coronavirus.

Illegal Dumping of Foreign Agricultural Products

Florida farmers are facing hardships during these challenging times, not only due to market disruptions from COVID-19, but also the continued illegal dumping of Mexican produce into the U.S.

Commissioner Fried is highly engaged on this issue. She has called on Congress to take action, and with members of Florida’s Congressional delegation and other Congressional leaders, she called for support of the Domestic Produce Production Act, and continues to stand with agricultural coalitions to take action.

Recently, Commissioner Fried has requested Section 32 Federal Purchasing of Florida commodities from Congressional leadership and USDA Secretary Perdue.

FDACS is working closely with the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association and our Division of Marketing to track this issue. This is an ongoing process and something we will be continuously monitoring.

We will continue working with our federal and state partners to help alleviate this pressure.

How You Can Help

You can submit a comment to the U.S. Trade Representative on how trade policies are affecting Florida-grown seasonal products.

State Agriculture Purchasing Programs

Food Recovery Program

The Food Recovery Program is a public-private partnership administered by FDACS that is designed to assist the state’s nonprofit feeding organizations with locating surplus fruits and vegetables, coordinating transportation and storage, and distributing the surplus produce to families and individuals in need. Farm Share Inc. and Feeding Florida are the nonprofit organizations that are part of this program.

Farm Share recovers food from farms, wholesalers and other groups, and delivers surplus fresh fruits and vegetables to communities in need. The surplus produce recovered by Farm Share is transported to drop sites located throughout Florida for distribution to nonprofit food banks, food pantries and, when possible, directly to individuals.

Feeding Florida works with 12 member food banks, supporting an infrastructure of approximately 2,400 nonprofit agencies, providing assistance in every county in Florida. Farmers Feeding Florida, the food recovery program established by Feeding Florida, works in partnership with FDACS, growers and packers in Florida to distribute surplus produce. Donated fruits and vegetables are collected and delivered to the member food banks that, in turn, redistribute the produce to individuals and families in need throughout the state.

Additionally, FDACS collects and distributes produce, at no cost to the state. This produce is donated to food banks and pantries throughout the state for the benefit of Floridians in need.

For more information on the Food Recovery Program, please contact Melanie Mason at (850) 617-7165 or Melanie.Mason@FDACS.gov.

Farm to School Initiative

FDACS's Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness also facilitates purchases of local agricultural products for schools through the Farm to School initiative. The Farm to School initiative connects schools directly with local producers to purchase products for school meals.

Agricultural producers interested in connecting with schools can contact Karen Roach at (850) 617-7437 or InfoFNW@FDACS.gov.