UNITY — Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) and the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) have announced that 38 Maine farms have been awarded grants through the Maine Farm Emergency Grants program. This is the second round of funding on which the two organizations have collaborated to fundraise and administer in response to the needs of Maine farmers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
The grants range from $500 to $2000, and a total of $47,960 will be distributed. The two organizations distributed $141,000 in the spring to 79 farms dealing with the initial impacts of COVID-19.
The farms that received emergency grants have all adapted their businesses in significant and multiple ways to meet changes in markets and adjust to uncertainty this year, according to Sarah Simon, Farmland Access and Farm Viability Program director at MFT. “A few of the challenges farms continue to grapple with include additional time and labor costs to adapt to restrictions and operate safely, market disruption and coping with COVID exposure in their families and communities,” she said.
Farms will use the funds to continue to offer products to the community in a safe manner and for essential operating costs. Market disruptions continue to negatively impact many farms’ abilities to operate as usual. Several cited the need to expend additional time and cost to obtain essentials that include livestock, feed, packaging.
Maine Farmland Trust is a statewide member-powered nonprofit that protects farmland, supports farmers and advances the future of farming. For more information, visit mainefarmlandtrust.org. The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association is a broad-based community that educates about and advocates for organic agriculture. Visit mofga.org for more information.
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