Farm and Food Workers Relief Program

UMOS is proud to offer a one-time $600 payment from the USDA to Farmworkers and Meat Packers who worked during the COVID-19 Pandemic, supporting critical aspects of our nation’s food system. Thank you!

This relief is intended to defray costs for reasonable and necessary personal, family, or living expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as but not limited to costs for personal protective equipment (PPE), dependent care, and expenses associated with quarantines and testing. This is not a renewable nor annual benefit.

Eligible Farmworkers and Meat Packing Workers have

until September 30, 2024, to apply for this one-time payment.

The FFWR program will provide a single, $600 direct relief payment to farm workers and meatpacking workers, for expenses incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Frontline workers who worked in farming activities and meatpacking at any time during the COVID-related major disaster declaration period (January 27, 2020 through May 11, 2023) are eligible to receive this one-time funding.

Workers will need to provide sufficient proof of employment at a food processing facility, meatpacking facility, or farm. Workers must also submit sufficient proof of identity when requesting funds.

Potential Proof of Employment Documents

*at least one of these items

• W-2 Tax Form
• Paystub
• Employer Letter/Contract
• H2A Visa/ H2B Visa
• Photographic Evidence (at worksite)

The following organizations have partnered with UMOS to provide FFWR program benefits. If you reside in the following states, you may contact our partnering agencies and apply for the $600 direct one-time relief payment.

Avoid scams and fraud by keeping these in mind:

• Only organizations awarded the grant by the USDA may process Farm and Food Workers Relief (FFWR) applications.
• Approved organizations were announced summer 2022 and posted on: www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/ffwr
• Never pay for application assistance. There is no need to pay for application assistance. There will be no cost to apply for Farm and Food Workers Relief (FFWR).
• This is a two-year program. Relief payments may not be made available at the same time throughout the country. Approved grantees may have different open application periods. Please go to the FFWR website when the announcements are posted and look for the grantee in your region to assist you.
• Keep your information safe. Never provide personal documents or any form of identification to unapproved organizations.
• For assistance, email: ffwr@umos.org
• There is no need to go to a notary for the Farm and Food Workers Relief (FFWR) program.

Spanish

• No hay necesidad de ir a un notario para aplicar para el programa de Alivio Económico para Trabajadores Agrícolas y de Alimentos (Farm and Food Worker Relief Program o FFWR, por sus siglas en inglés)
• Solo las organizaciones que reciben la subvención del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA, por sus siglas en inglés) pueden procesar las solicitudes de los trabajadores agrícolas y alimentos.
• Las organizaciones aprobadas se anunciaron en el verano del 2022 y se publicaron en la pagina de internet del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos. Tome en cuenta: Este programa tiene un término de dos años. Es posible que los pagos de alivio no estén disponibles al mismo tiempo en todo el país. Las organizaciones aprobadas pueden tener diferentes períodos de solicitud. Visite el sitio web de FFWR cuando se publiquen los anuncios y busque una organización seleccionada para servirle.
• Mantenga su información segura. Nunca proporcione documentos personales o cualquier forma de identificación a organizaciones no aprobadas..
• Asistencia de solucitud es gratis no hay necesidad de pagar por la asistencia con la solicitud. No habrá ningún costo por la solicitud del programa de Alivio Económico para Trabajadores Agrícolas y de Alimentos.
• Obeteniendo asistencia: Envíe un mensaje a ffwr@umos.org