Pandemic Relief Activities: Farm and Food Worker Relief Grant Program

In 2022 USDA awarded grants to 14 non-profit organizations and 1 tribal entity to provide pandemic relief to farm and food workers through October 2024. This Program is no longer making new awards, but funded projects may still actively report expenditures.

The Farm and Food Worker Relief (FFWR) Program provided $600 relief payments to eligible farm and food workers who incurred expenses preparing for, preventing exposure to, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Agricultural and meatpacking workers, as well as select grocery workers, were able to receive one relief payment per person if they worked in an eligible front-line job in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic (between January 20, 2020, and May 11, 2023).

Farmworkers and/or Meatpacking Workers as defined by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and employed as such during the COVID eligibility window. SOC Codes include:
Field Workers, 45-2099, Ag Workers
45-2091, Packers and Packagers
Livestock Workers, 45-2041, Graders and Sorters
53-7064, Packers and Packagers
Meatpacking Workers, 51-3099, Food Processing Workers
51,3023, Slaughterers and Meat Packers

This was a competitive application program. Applicants were reviewed for eligibility, evaluated by outside expert panel reviewers against selection criteria published in the RFA (technical review) and finally subject to a full administrative review by federal staff prior to final award recommendations and selection.

Eligible applicants were to review the RFA for the application deadline and estimated timeframes for review and award.