News Article – 

Impacted Farms and Ranches Can Receive up to $40,000

(Salt Lake City) As part of the COVID-19 Financial Relief Funding legislation passed by the Utah Legislature and signed by Governor Gary R. Herbert, Utah agricultural operations adversely impacted by the pandemic can receive up to $40,000 in a grant from the Utah Conservation Commission. The total funding for the program is capped at $20 million. The program will begin once federal funding from the CARES Act is received.

“This is a critical relief program for the many farms and ranches in Utah on the brink of going out of business during this crisis as prices for many commodities have dropped drastically and many distribution outlets have been greatly reduced,” said Logan Wilde, Commissioner, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.

The agricultural operations portion of the legislation will be administered by the Utah Conservation Commission. The Commission may make a grant of up to $40,000 to an agricultural operation financially harmed as a result of federal, state, or local public health measures taken to minimize the public exposure to COVID-19. The agricultural operation must have suffered harm between March 1, 2020 and December 30, 2020.

Other funding stipulations in the legislation include:

• The operation cannot receive funds under the COVID-19 Commercial Rental Assistance Program,

• Operations that receive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds under the CARES Act between February 15, 2020 and June 30,2020 are eligible for a grant of up to $20,000,

• An operation that receives more than they are eligible shall return the funds to the Commission.

The purpose of the grant program is to assist farms and ranches to overcome the financial harm of
the pandemic, to continue food and fiber production in the state, and to maintain the agricultural
operation’s supply chains or deliver the agricultural operation’s products to market.

Operations are encouraged to apply at their earliest convenience on the state’s website at
www.ag.utah.gov/2020/05/01/udaf-relief-grant-application-and-w9/. Applications are due by
5:00pm on May 15, 2020.

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