The Center for Rural Affairs is committed to continuing our work for opportunity and justice for everyone in rural America during the rapidly evolving response to the coronavirus.
COVID-19 and the ripple effects has created new challenges for rural people and rural places. Our work may look different in the days ahead, but we will continue to serve our mission in all ways possible.
During this time, the Center acts to prioritize staff, community, and public health. We recognize staff, clients, and community members have varying risk levels from COVID-19. We’re all concerned about spreading it to someone who is at risk. We will do our part to reduce transmission.
What you can expect from us:
- Our offices are now open. We ask those who are unvaccinated to wear masks. Call 402.687.2100 for assistance.
- We have resumed holding in-person events. At in-person, indoor Center events, we urge attendees to wear masks. Many are still held virtually or outside.
- Stay tuned. We’ll look for innovative ways to engage communities and policymakers in the coming weeks. We also urge all to follow public health guidance, check in on your neighbors, and support local businesses when you can.
We encourage you to stay safe and take steps to reduce spread of the coronavirus. Being engaged and staying healthy are two of the most important things we can do to help our communities. We’ll get through this together.
Here are a few resources for you:
COVID-19 disaster information
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and Iowa Emergency Management Association
Federal Emergency Management Agency COVID-19 response
Department of Homeland Security COVID-19 response
State of Nebraska - Nebraska Disaster Resource Guide
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information
Business, housing, and individual relief resources
COVID-19 Federal Rural Resource Guide - the U.S. Department of Agriculture's federal rural resource guide which lists federal programs that can help rural communities, organizations, and individuals impacted by COVID-19.
Small Business Administration Disaster Loan program - Apply online; Coronavirus (COVID-19) Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources
- Current Declared Disasters
- Small business owners in Nebraska are now eligible to apply for SBA economic injury disaster loans (updated March 23, 2020) - Nebraska has now been issued the required Federal Declaration of disaster to allow small business owners to apply for low-interest SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Any small business owner affected by COVID-19 since the beginning of January 2020 can apply for the loan here.
- Available disaster loans through the Small Business Administration:
- Business Physical Disaster Loans – Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans – Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.
- Home Disaster Loans – Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles.
Small business resources
Center for Rural Affairs - staff are available throughout Nebraska to assist businesses with free one-on-one counseling. Contact the representative in your area for assistance. Bilingual services are available.
COVID-19 Small Business Emergency Loans fact sheet - learn about the Payroll Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program on a fact sheet put together by the Center for Rural Affairs
The Small Business Owner’s Guide to the CARES Act from the U.S. Senate Committee for Small Business & Entrepreneurship
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance for businesses and employers
Business-oriented disaster toolkit from Carolina Small Business
Agricultural resources
Check out our blog "Stimulus package—what do family farms need to know?" Para la versión en español de esta historia, por favor oprima aquí.
Farm Aid maintains a hotline to offer farmers advice and support, and refer farmers to a network of farm and rural support organizations across the country. Call 1.800.FARM.AID or email farmhelp@farmaid.org. Farm Aid has also put together this list of resources.
Rural Advancement Foundation International offers mini-grants to North Carolina farmers - Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA) will be distributing emergency mini-grants of $500 to farmers who are drastically impacted by market sales disruptions caused by COVID-19. Funding is currently limited to farmers located in North Carolina.
COVID-19 Resources for Farmers - from our friends at Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service. "As we all deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re doing everything we can to help farmers succeed in these trying times. We’ll add new resources as they become available, so check back often."
The Farmers Legal Action Group has compiled an excellent guide for farmers navigating the maze of federal programs available for farmers, ranging from small business support to unemployment insurance to changes to the bankruptcy code.
Webinar on Online Sales Platforms for Farmers - hosted by Oregon Tilth. Watch this webinar to learn more about direct-to-consumer online sales platforms, including Barn2Door, Harvie, Local Food Marketplace, Food4All, and Open Food Network. Oregon Tilth has also posted questions to ask when considering online sales platforms.
Considerations for Fruit and Vegetable Growers Related to Coronavirus & COVID-19 - from the University of Vermont Extension. The resources provide information on health and food-safety steps that growers should take, as well as planning and communication advice for markets and farmers markets. They also provide examples of what leading farms and markets are doing to address risk.
Farm Commons has created a series of six podcasts addressing COVID-19's effect on farm businesses. These free podcasts of approximately 30 minutes each cover the legal ramifications of topics such as sick leave, unemployment, social distancing, diversifying sales, and online sales.
Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health has developed an informational website to guide agricultural workers through questions they have about working with community spread COVID-19.
These webinars from Iowa State University go over some of the financial nuts and bolts for farmers applying for aid programs.
U.S. Department of Agriculture - Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service
- USDA's immediate actions to assist farmers, ranchers, producers, rural communities, and rural-based businesses and organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool
- USDA Emergency Loan program for eligible farmers and ranchers.
- Fact Sheet: Livestock Indemnity Program
- Fact Sheet: Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program
- Fact Sheet: USDA Disaster Assistance
- Fact Sheet: USDA Tree Assistance Program
- Ask the Experts at USDA
- Producers located in counties receiving a primary or contiguous diaster designation are eligible for low-interest emergency loans to help recover from production and physical losses.
- The Emergency Conservation Program provides funding and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters.
- Compensation is also available to producers who purchased coverage through FSA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, which protects non-insurable crops against natural disasters that result in lower yields, crop losses or prevented planting.
- Technical and financial assistance available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
- Call your local USDA office or visit farmers.gov/recover. Note: During the COVID-19 pandemic, USDA Service Centers will continue to be open for business by phone appointment only. FSA and NRCS program delivery staff at the Service Centers will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. More information is available online at https://www.farmers.gov/coronavirus.
- What farmers need to know about the USDA COVID-19 Aid Program (CFAB)
Wellness, health, and mental health resources
Nebraska Disaster Behavioral Health - 800.464.0258
Iowa Concern - 800.447.1885 (legal issues, finance, stress, and crisis/disaster)
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Nebraska Family Helpline - 888.866.8660
Nebraska Rural Response Hotline - 800.464.0258
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - 800.985.5990
Partner resource compilations
Kansas Rural Center - COVID-19 Guidance for Farms and Communities
NCAT ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture - Resources including a video series, webinars, and general information compilations for agricultural producers, farmers markets, farmers and ranchers, and community/food sovereignty, including resources in Spanish.
