The Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday $700 million in competitive grant funding to help farmworkers and meatpacking workers with pandemic-related health and safety costs. The new Farm and Food Workers Relief grant program includes $20 million set aside for at least one pilot program to support grocery workers. The program will provide relief to farmworkers, meatpacking workers, and front-line grocery workers for expenses incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The relief is intended to defray costs for reasonable and necessary personal, family, or living expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funds will be awarded through grants to state agencies, tribal entities, and non-profit organizations serving farmworkers and meatpacking workers ranging from $5,000,000 to $50,000,000. Applications must be submitted electronically through the Government's Grants Website. USDA will soon announce a separate $700 million suite of pandemic safety and response grants for producers, processors, farmers markets, distributors, and seafood processors and vessels impacted by COVID-19.

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