CONCORD – NOFA-NH and fifteen farms, agriculture and food system organizations have signed a letter to Governor Sununu, Agricultural Commissioner Jasper, and the GOFERR Advisory Board, urging reconsideration of the CARES Act eligibility criteria, and the creation of a relief package that benefits all NH farmers, large and small.

NH agricultural grants will be provided to dairy, fruit, vegetable, and ornamental plant growers in the state, drawing from a $10 million appropriation: $4.5M to dairy farmers, $1.5M to other farmers, and $4M in reserve. However, farms that grossed less than $50,000 in 2019 will not qualify for this aid, excluding almost 90% of the over 4,100 farms in the Granite State.

According to the 2017 agricultural census, only 426 of the state’s 4,123 farms have receipts of $50,000 or more. The remaining 3,697 farms still feed NH, still contribute to NH’s economy, still are stewards of NH’s rugged land, yet will not be able to receive financial assistance for losses incurred due to COVID-19.

Though the signatories understand that a sense of limited funds motivated this decision, we are disappointed with the outcome, and feel it does not reflect the needs of our community. If the pandemic is showing us anything, it is that local food has become more desirable than ever before. Fostering a resilient agricultural sector means that we cannot lose the small and mid-sized farms our neighbors and communities depend on.

Signatories include the Greater Nashua Food Council, Grow Nashua, Hungry Bear Farm, Lost Nation Orchard, Main Street Cheese, LLC, Mountain Heartbeet Farm, New Field Farm, New Hampshire Farm to School, New Hampshire Food Alliance, NOFA-NH, Peterborough Agricultural Committee, Picadilly Farm, Seacoast Eat Local, Seacoast NH Permaculture, Stonewall Farm and the Town of Durham NH Agricultural Commission.

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire actively promotes regenerative, ecologically sound gardening, farming and land care practices for healthy communities.

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