Since our last communication on the Paycheck Protection Program, Farm Credit West has monitored the progress of the proposed legislation designed to provide additional relief to those impacted by COVID-19, specifically SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program debt forgiveness process.

Recently, Congress extended the deadline to submit new PPP loan applications to August 8. While Farm Credit West will not re-open our own PPP online application portal to accept new loans, we will maintain a link to the Kabbage application on our website for any customers that still desire to apply for funding through this program.

On Wednesday, July 1st, California’s Governor Newsom announced a roll-back of certain previously announced openings of businesses and activities due to a substantial surge in COVID cases and hospitalizations. In addition, Federal, State, local and other entities continue to encourage the wearing of a face mask in public spaces including any workplace visited by members of the general public.

Over the last several weeks, your association has closely followed SBA activity as additional information and clarifying documents regarding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) have been released. Most recently, a revised application and instructions have been provided detailing the process to seek debt forgiveness for PPP loan recipients.

We recognize the COVID-19 pandemic and related closures have resulted in significant unforeseen hardship for agriculture in California and Arizona. To provide relief in the current environment, Farm Credit West’s Board of Directors recently resolved to distribute a partial advance payment of the 2020 end-of-year patronage distribution to every eligible customer.

Farm Credit West continues to take steps to ensure employee and customer safety through the duration of the impact of COVID-19. As previously communicated, we have practices in place in all our offices to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus including safe distancing, sanitation of high touch surfaces, promoting hand washing and avoiding large gatherings in conference and break rooms. We have also supplied each employee with washable face masks, have disposable face masks at each front counter and have made available digital thermometers for all employees.

Farm Credit West recently announced the award of $24,000 in scholarships to sixteen high-achieving students enrolled full time in colleges this fall. Farm Credit West joins our local communities in celebrating these exceptional students, as they achieved academic excellence while navigating unprecedented challenges as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic and corresponding shut-downs.

Agribusiness students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo will have additional funding for student projects in the years to come after Farm Credit donated nearly $255,000 this year to create an endowment fund for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

In an effort to provide food to California families in need, Farm Credit, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) and Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc., are partnering to assist the expansion of the state’s Farm to Family Program, as recognized last week by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

For more than a quarter-century, the Center for Land-Based Learning has operated its successful FARMS Leadership Program, educating thousands of high school students about career opportunities in agriculture. And up through March of this year, the nonprofit had planned and implemented dozens of Field Day hands-on experiences throughout the state to get kids out of the classroom and onto working farms to learn more.