On May 8, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved $1.2 billion in contracts to support American producers and communities in need through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program. At least 10 Michigan suppliers were selected by USDA to help support the program, including Atlas Wholesale Food Company, Clemens Food Group, Coveyou Farms LLC, Del Bene Produce Inc., Eastern Market Corporation, Gordon Food Service, Heeren LLC (Michigan Fresh), LaGrasso Bros., Prairie Farms Dairy, and Van Eerden Foodservice.

Through the program, USDA will contract with distributors and wholesalers who will provide a pre-approved box of fresh produce, dairy, and meat products to food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need. The program is expected to begin distributing surplus food to communities within days.

Several Michigan products will be included in the boxes, including apples, asparagus, bell peppers, blueberries, bratwurst, cabbage, carrots, celery, cheese, concord grapes, cucumbers, fall squash, onions, peaches, potatoes, tomatoes, yellow squash, and zucchini.

“This is really great news,” said Gary McDowell, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. “Not only will these contracts help the awardees, but they’ll also help Michigan farmers—and, most importantly, they’ll help get fresh, nutritious food to individuals and families who really need it during this crisis. Michigan is proud to help support this vital program, and we thank USDA for recognizing the quality and capability of Michigan’s food and agriculture industry in this way.”

“The seven members of the Food Bank Council of Michigan are distributing 40 percent more food during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Phil Knight, executive director of the Food Bank Council of Michigan. “We understand that solving hunger, whether in a pandemic or not, starts in the field. FBCM is thankful for the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program being stood up in such a short amount of time that benefits our farmers and ranchers—this product will help fill the food gap and take hunger off the table for many of our Michigan families who are struggling during this time.”

“The USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program’s pre-packed boxes will help expand distribution of nutritious food to students and families across Michigan,” said Diane Golzynski, Director of the Michigan Department of Education’s Office of Health and Nutrition Services. “These boxes are a great addition for families supported by student meals and household distribution programs.”

“LaGrasso Bros. is thankful for this perfectly timed program with USDA,” said LaGrasso Bros. President Tom Lagrasso III. “The USDA Farm to Family Food Box Program is critically important to helping great American farmers, distribution companies, such as LaGrasso Bros., and the families that are economically impacted by the COVID pandemic. LaGrasso Bros. hopes that we can do our part in helping the Michigan economy, Michigan families, and Michigan farmers with this amazing program.”

Additional information about the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, including a complete list of companies receiving a contract from USDA, is available on the AMS website at www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food-to-usda/farmers-to-families-food-box.

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Background

On April 17, 2020, USDA announced the Farmers to Families Food Box Program as part of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program developed to help farmers, ranchers and consumers in response to the COVID-19 national emergency.

Through this program, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is partnering with national, regional and local suppliers, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of restaurants, hotels and other food service businesses, to purchase up to $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy and meat products. The program will purchase $461 million in fresh fruits and vegetables, $317 million in a variety of dairy products, $258 million in meat products, and $175 million in a combination box of fresh produce, dairy or meat products. Suppliers will package these products into family-sized boxes, then transport them to food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need from May 15 through June 30, 2020. AMS may elect to extend the period of performance of the contracts, via option periods, dependent upon program success and available remaining funds, up to $3 billion.

More than 120 of Michigan’s state-chartered banks and credit unions have stepped up to provide Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to support small businesses facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ninety percent of Michigan’s 68 state-chartered banks and nearly half of Michigan’s 137 state-chartered credit unions have participated in the PPP to support Michigan small businesses.

“Michigan’s small businesses and their employees should know that our administration will do everything within our power to support them during these challenging times,” Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II said. “We are grateful for all of Michigan’s banks and credit unions who worked quickly to ensure that small businesses in our state have unprecedented access to the funding necessary to come back stronger than ever when it is safe to do so.”

The PPP, established by the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), provides forgivable loans to small businesses so they can maintain their payroll, hire back employees who may have been laid off, and cover applicable overhead. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for in accordance with the program requirements payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.

To date, more than $16 billion in forgivable loans were provided to more than 110,000 of Michigan’s small businesses, with an average loan amount of $146,999, according to SBA data. Nationally, Round One of funding of the PPP provided nearly $350 billion in loans, and Round Two was allocated an additional $310 billion.

“The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) is focused on assisting Michiganders as they manage the financial challenges caused by the pandemic” said DIFS Director, Anita Fox. “The Department is proud to have supported Michigan’s financial institutions as they secured a record number of forgivable loans for the state’s small businesses, an important first step toward our economic recovery.”

Michigan small businesses experiencing a financial hardship due to COVID-19 are encouraged to reach out directly to their financial institution to learn more about the PPP and other relief options that may be available. DIFS can assist consumers and businesses with questions or disputes that cannot be directly resolved with their financial institutions. Contact DIFS at 877-999-6442, or file a complaint at  [email protected].

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

May 8, 2020

Eligible online hunter education students will be able to hunt this spring despite the postponement of field day classes, which normally are required. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is providing temporary hunter education safety certificates to select online students who have not been able to attend a field day due to cancellations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Field days are the required final step in earning a Michigan DNR hunter education safety certificate for online students. Safety certificates are mandatory to purchase a Michigan hunting license. The face-to-face classes have been postponed as a result of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order.

“Since the beginning of March, we have seen a significant increase in students enrolling in our online hunter education course,” said Lt. Tom Wanless, DNR hunter education administrator. “We want to thank our online course provider, Kalkomey Enterprises, for their fast response to help us develop a solution for future hunters.”

To receive a temporary hunter education safety certificate, online students must meet one of the following criteria:

• Completed the online hunter education safety training since March 15, 2019, but not yet completed the field day.
• Started the online program on or after Jan. 1, 2020, and still in process of completing the course.
• Begin and complete the online program between now and the end of the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order.

Eligible students will receive an email from Kalkomey Enterprises, LLC and be able to print a temporary certificate from the student portal, allowing them to purchase a license through Dec. 31, 2020. Anyone who receives a temporary safety certificate will be required to take a field day once the classes resume.

“Safety is our number one priority,” said Chief Gary Hagler, DNR Law Enforcement Division. “We want to do what we can to ensure future hunters have the opportunity to enjoy spring hunting and Michigan’s natural resources.”

The most recent license data from the DNR shows that spring turkey hunting license sales are the highest they have been since 2015, indicating a strong desire by customers to pursue these outdoor activities this year.

All first-time hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1960, are required to take and pass a hunter safety course. The DNR offers hunter safety education safety certificates through three different formats:

• Traditional classroom setting.
• Online course followed by a one-time field day.
• Take-home study course followed by a one-time field day.

Regardless of the learning option a student chooses, all students must demonstrate successful understanding of the skills they learned to a certified hunter education safety instructor.

The DNR offers several recreational safety certificates online, including boater education and ORV and snowmobile safety. Get more information about these certifications and other safety resources at Michigan.gov/RecreationalSafety.

Learn more about earning an online hunter safety certificate at Michigan.gov/HunterEducation.