HAGERSTOWN, MD (September 28, 2021) – The Washington County Department of Business Development announces the rollout of the USDA Pandemic Response and Safety Grant Program.  The Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant Program provides funding to help small specialty crop producers, food processors, manufacturers, distributors, and farmers markets recover costs incurred by responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, including measures to protect workers. 

 

The application period opens September 23, 2021, and closes November 8, 2021. The maximum award for this grant is $1,500. 

“The grant is designed for small agricultural producers focused on crops, food processors, manufacturers, and distributors that have been impacted by the pandemic,“ said Leslie Hart, Washington County Agricultural Business Specialist. Grants will cover activities associated with workplace safety, market pivots, retrofitting facilities, transportation, worker housing, and medical costs.

 

For questions about this program, please email [email protected] or call 301-238-5550. Help desk hours are Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST.  

 

For any other questions or assistance with the grant application, please contact Leslie Hart at 301-573-7039 or [email protected].

 

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