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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Tribal Relations (OTR) and Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) seeks comments regarding the development, coordination and implementation of grant programs to support food processing, distribution, seafood processing, farmers markets, and producers and other businesses identified in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The legislation directs USDA to use these grant funds to help businesses respond to coronavirus, including for measures to protect workers against COVID-19.

Written Comments: Written Comments can be submitted through midnight ET on March 31, 2021, via online portal or by email to AMSCOVIDStimulus@usda.gov or Tribal.Relations@usda.gov.  We welcome feedback from all interested parties, and we appreciate early response. Additional information is available on the AMS website: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/ams-covid-stimulus.

For Further Information: Questions regarding the listening session can be directed to AMSCOVIDStimulus@usda.gov or Tribal.Relations@usda.gov. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication (Braille, large print, audio tape, etc.) should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

Statutory Background: Sec. 751 of the COVID Stimulus Package, part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, provides no less than $1.5B to purchase food and agricultural products, including seafood, fresh produce, dairy, and meat products, to distribute to individuals in need, including through delivery to nonprofit organizations that can receive, store, and distribute food items, and for grants and loans to small or midsized food processors or distributors, seafood processing facilities and processing vessels, farmers markets, producers, or other organizations to respond to coronavirus, including for measures to protect workers against COVID–19.