Welcome to the website of the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation. This site is updated regularly with news and issues related to farming in the San Joaquin Valley, such as proposed and present governmental regulations and laws, which affect agriculture. In addition, you may sign up for our email notification program and receive special notification of issues and events related to your particular area of interest.
COVID-19 Updates
San Joaquin Farm Bureau Office
In response to the Governor's statewide shelter in place announcements on March 19th, the SJFB office will be closed until further notice.
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All staff will be available via email and phone . Please be patient as staff will continue to be there working for agriculture.
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The office telephone (290) 931-4931 will be forwarded to our Executive Director, Bruce Blodgett.
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We will be utilizing our social media network to quickly send out updates and information. Please like the SJFB Facebook and Instagram pages
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We can schedule an appointment if you need labor law posters/booklets or signs from our office.
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If you are not receiving our Friday Review e-newsletter, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to be added to this weekly email update.
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SJFB is gathering information on growers/business who sell directly to the public/local stores so the public will be able to support the local growers and economy. SJFB Direct Sales Survey
San Joaquin Ag Commissioner's Office
The San Joaquin County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office has received a supply of surgical, KN-95 equivalent, face masks from the California Department of Food and Agriculture following a County wide survey on personal protective equipment. We will be distributing these masks, free of charge, to members of the ag industry, which includes growers, pest control businesses, and packing sheds in San Joaquin County.
Distribution of masks will be on a first come, first serve basis. We will be handing out these masks Tuesday and Thursday, May 26th and 28th, at our Stockton location (2101 E. Earhart Ave, Stockton, CA, 95206) from 9:00am to 12:00pm and again from 1:00pm to 4:00pm or until supplies run out. Please pull into the parking lot entrance to the east of the main building and follow the parking lot to the left. We will have a one way line and a staff member to take your name, verify your business/permit name, and to hand the masks into your vehicle. There will be no need to park and exit your vehicle.
- List of PPE Suppliers (updated)
- Top 40 Industrial Distributors
- A4 Promotions flyer for in-stock PPE items
Temporarily closing the offices in Lodi and Manteca until further notice.
All essential Ag services will be available in our Stockton office at 2101 East Earhart Avenue, Suite 100 Stockton, CA 95206, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or (209)953-6000.
- KN-95 masks may not be used as a N-95 respirator substitute when handling pesticides.
Farm Employers Labor Service
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FELS has multiple links and resources on its COVID-19 News & Resources for Farm Employers webpage
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N95 Respirators - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has released guidance for extended use and re-use of N95 respirators (commonly used for agricultural pesticide applications) in healthcare settings; while the guidance is intended for healthcare settings, it may offer useful insights for ag employers given the acute shortage of N95 respirators. You can read more here .
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)
Beginning May 26, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), will be accepting applications from agricultural producers who have suffered losses. Producers of all eligible commodities will apply through their local FSA office. Documentation to support the producer’s application and certification may be requested. FSA has streamlined the signup process to not require an acreage report at the time of application and a USDA farm number may not be immediately needed. Applications will be accepted through August 28, 2020.
CFAP provides vital financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five-percent-or-greater price decline due to COVID-19 and face additional significant marketing costs as a result of lower demand, surplus production, and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities.
Farmers and ranchers will receive direct support, drawn from two possible funding sources. The first source of funding is $9.5 billion in appropriated funding provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability (CARES) Act. The second funding source uses the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act to compensate producers for $6.5 billion in losses due to on-going market disruptions.
Details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) here.
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA): FMLA & Paid Sick Leave Expansion
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act will impose new federal workplace mandates, including an expansion of the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the first-ever federal Paid Sick Leave (PSL) mandate.
FFCRA is applicable to all employers with fewer than 500 employees . Questions? Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 800-753-9073.
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If you employ fewer than 500 employees and are covered by FFCRA leave requirements PRINT & POST IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ALONG WITH OTHER WORKPLACE POSTINGS . You can read more here . A covered employer must post the notice in a conspicuous place on its premises but “may satisfy this requirement by emailing or direct mailing this notice to employees, or posting this notice on an employee information internal or external website.”
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Guidance for employers on implementation of expanded Family & Medical Leave Act leaves and new federal Paid Sick Leave required by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). You can read more here .
Banking & Finance
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Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
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The CARES Act, the COVID-19 stimulus bill, includes $350 billion that will assist businesses in continuing to pay its employees. Farmers and ranchers ARE eligible to apply for the PPP loan program. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) allows for loans to small businesses, with fewer than 500 employees.
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Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)
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EIDL loans are currently available for ag cooperatives, aquaculture, nursery or a producer cooperative. You can find applications here https://www.sba.gov/page/disaster-loan-applications
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Banking and Finance
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On CFBF’s COVID-19 “Industry Resource” page, https://www.cfbf.com/industry-resource/ added information from CDFA’s Market Enforcement Branch for producers who have experienced cancelled contracts or have not been paid in full by vendors as a result of COVID-19.
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Orders
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California Executive Orders
https://covid19.ca.gov/img/Executive-Order-N-33-20.pdf
https://covid19.ca.gov/img/Executive-Order-N-33-20.pdf
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San Joaquin Stay at Home Order
Updated 4-14-20: https://www.sjgov.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=32463
Sample of "Social Distancing Protocol" required posting for open businesses are on the last 2 pages of the order.
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“Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers” List https://covid19.ca.gov/img/EssentialCriticalInfrastructureWorkers.pdf Per the Department of Homeland Security Announcement (DHS), agriculture is a critical industry and in these difficult times, zero farms will close. Employee Verification Letter
Farm to Family - helping food banks
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The ag community can help food banks at a time of great need that has resulted in a rapid increase in unemployment and a huge increase in demand on food banks.
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CAFB has a dedicated staff member, Steven Linkhart, working on the Farm to Family program and has perfected its system to make contributions as convenient and streamlined as possible.
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Food Banks also have some funding to pay a minimal amount to help cover harvest and packing costs of fresh product. Visit www.cafoodbanks.org to learn more about the Farm to Family program.
#StillFarming
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As part of a social media campaign, Farm Bureau is encouraging America's farmers and ranchers to use #StillFarming on your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts to demonstrate that farmers and ranchers across the country are working diligently to provide a healthy and affordable food supply.
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If you have any pictures of current active harvests, packing houses in action, tractors rolling in the field, tractors on the move, cows getting milked we'd like to start pushing that out on our social media pages. You can send those pictures and any description of what is going on in the picture to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . We will also forward some to CFBF.
COVID-19 Resource Links
