On July 23, the PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture will host a webinar on new COVID-19 relief funding available for Pennsylvania's fresh food industry.  The webinar is from Noon to 1:00 p.m.

The webinar will present a new grant opportunity for businesses, nonprofits, and cooperatives including food hubs, mobile markets, co-ops, farmers markets, on-farm markets, urban farms, community gardens, grocery stores, corner stores, convenience stores, neighborhood stores, bodegas, and food aggregation and processing centers that serve direct-to-consumer retail outlets.

The Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative is a statewide public-private financing program that invests in new or expanding grocery stores and other healthy food retail outlets in communities.

The state is introducing a complementary grant program to FFFI for retailers that have been impacted by COVID-19 to help ensure communities can maintain access to healthy food during the pandemic.

In recognition of the disproportionate impacts of both COVID-19 and food apartheid on Black, Indigenous, and people of color, priority will be given to entities that are owned by and serve these communities.

The deadline to apply for this grant opportunity is August 14.

Click Here to register and for more information.

Pittsburgh Urban Farm Virtual Tour

During the week of July 20, the East End Food Co-op, Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, and Grow Pittsburgh are collaborating to host the 4th Annual Pittsburgh Urban Farm Tour—virtually!

Learn about unique urban farms in the Pittsburgh area, and ask questions directly to growers during three virtual tours scheduled throughout the week at Sol Path Garden, Duquesne Community Victory Garden, and Mwanakuche Community Garden.

Each tour will also feature partners in the urban ag community.

Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding will kick off the week with opening remarks on Monday, July 20.

Click Here to register or for more information.

For more information on programs, initiatives, upcoming events and how you can get involved, visit the PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture website.

Related Articles:

-- CBF Calls For Greater Investments To Reduce Water Pollution As Number Of Impaired Streams Increases In PA

-- Sen. Yaw Plans To Introduce Bill To Fund On-Farm Conservation Measures Thru State Conservation Commission, Conservation Districts

-- EPA Provides $3.84 Million For Pennsylvania Efforts To Reduce Ag-Related Pollution In Chesapeake Bay Watershed

-- DCNR Seeking 10,000 Landowners For Buffer My Stream Initiative In Adams, Franklin, Huntingdon, Lancaster, York Counties

-- Stroud Water Research Center: Working With Farmers To Protect Your Investment Webinar Series

-- PA Council Of Trout Unlimited Joins Statewide Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership

-- NRCS-PA Invites Public To PA State Technical Committee Virtual Meeting July 22

[Posted: July 18, 2020]

7/20/2020