Community Corner
Garamendi Urges Federal Support For Family Farmers And Ranchers During Coronavirus Pandemic
Garamendi urged the Small Business Administrator to provide access to low-interest federal loans to small family farms and ranches.
April 13, 2020
Sacramento, CA—Congressman Garamendi (D-CA) joined a bipartisan group of his Congressional colleagues urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to provide additional emergency assistance for family farmers and ranchers. On April 2, Garamendi urged Secretary Perdue to provide direct assistance to farmers who have lost markets due to COVID-19 pandemic, including international export markets important to California. On April 7, Garamendi urged Secretary Perdue to provide direct assistance to specialty crop growers and processors that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In both letters, Garamendi calls on USDA to fully implement the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which became federal law on March 27.
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On April 2, Garamendi urged the Small Business Administrator to provide access to low-interest federal loans to small family farms and ranches.
“California farmers and ranchers are reeling from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic,” Garamendi said. “They’ve lost hard-won markets and future contracts and suffered losses as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. Congress recently passed and the President signed the CARES Act into law—which provides $9.5 billion for agricultural producers directly impacted by coronavirus. I’m urging Secretary Perdue to provide full-throated USDA support for our nation’s farmers while they work through this crisis, and ensure that farmers who have lost direct markets during this crisis receive a portion of this funding,” Garamendi concluded.
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A link to Rep. Garamendi’s April 2 letter to USDA is available here.
A link to Rep Garamendi’s April 2 letter to SBA is available here.
A link to Rep. Garamendi’s April 7 letter to USDA is available here.
This press release was produced by the Office of Congressman John Garamendi. The views expressed here are the author’s own.