Hello DeSoto and Sarasota County Producers!
Three quick pieces of info and a reminder for you today: disaster loans, sources for personal protective equipment and sanitation/disinfectant supplies, and disaster impact survey. Don’t forget that you can easily look back through most of the information I’ve emailed you over the last two months here: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/tag/covidagupdate/.
Today’s updates:
Small Business Administration disaster funding programs are now reopened for ag businesses only
SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
- Low interest loans (3.75%) for working capital to help a business keep going during a period of business interruption due to a disaster.
- Businesses can apply for up to $2 million.
- The terms for repayment of the loan can be quite long (up to 30 years).
- Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance – businesses applying for Economic Injury Disaster Loans can receive up to $10,000 as an advance to “provide economic relief to business experiencing a temporary loss of revenue.” The Advance does not have to be repaid and businesses that receive the advance, but are turned down for the loan, don’t have to repay the advance if they were otherwise eligible to apply for EIDL and the purpose of the loan was eligible.
- The most complete, easy-to-understand, detailed summary of EIDL that I can find was written by a farm-support organization in NC. Here it is: https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/farms-food-ag-businesses-can-receive-new-covid-19-relief-funds/
- The Paycheck Protection Program is a separate program available to retain employees during this disaster; it is currently open to any small business.
Where to find PPE and sanitation/disinfectant supplies
- The basic supplies that you need to keep you and your workers – and your customers – can be hard to get your hands on right now.
- I’ve attached a spreadsheet with contact information for the top 40 US distributors of PPE and cleaning supplies.
- Let me know if you have trouble opening the attachment and I will get the information to you in a different format.
Disaster Impact Survey
- Just a reminder to please take a few minutes to fill out the state-wide disaster impact survey. Huge thanks to those of you who have already done so.
- Here’s a link to more information: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/2020/04/17/covid-19-agriculture-updates-april-17-part-1-of-2/
- Here’s a link to the survey: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3sYZE3NF19Ik949
All my best to all of you,
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