Elizabeth (Liz) Higgins

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  • How to Prepare Your Yourself and Employees for an ICE/CPB Encounter

    Knowing what rights you have as a business owner and what rights your employees have can be empowering. There has been a lot of concern among ag employers and immigrant communities in New York about recent changes in federal immigration policy and enforcement.  First it is important to note that many of the rumors of…

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  • COVID-19 Update on Pandemic Assistance for Farm and Food Small Businesses

    If your farm or food business is an SBA “small business” you may be eligible for funding for grants to help you respond to coronavirus. The recently announced USDA Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant Program provides grants between $1,500 to $20,000 to farmers of eligible commodities, businesses that provide post-harvest packing and sorting of…

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  • COVID-19 Update on PPP Loan Forgiveness, Program Changes and More

    Applying for Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness, Program Changes and a Possibility of an Extension Cornell Cooperative Extension educators have been compiling updates on various emergency funding opportunities for agricultural businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In their most recent fact sheet, they provide more information about how farmers now have 24 weeks instead of…

  • COVID-19 Update on EIDL Program and PPP Funding

    Economic Injury Disaster Loans Application Reopened for Ag Businesses and Updates to Paycheck Protection Loan Program Cornell Cooperative Extension educators have been compiling the latest update on various emergency funding opportunities for agricultural businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In their most recent fact sheet, they provide more information about the EIDL program, which was…

  • Accessing Federal, State and Local Disaster Resources

    How you can start planning now for assistance to stay in business during the COVID-19 pandemic and recover afterwards. Based on my experience with previous federal and state disasters, you are more likely to be able to access these resources if you have kept good records. I spoke to Sam Kandel, our local Small Business…

  • COVID-19 Update on Emergency Resources for Farm Businesses

    Update  4/20/20: It was widely reported on April 15 that the funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) had been fully obligated. As of April 16, SBA closed the loans to new applicants. So, if you were planning to apply, but haven’t yet what does this mean for you? CCE educators offer advice in a new…

  • Funding Sources Info – Or Is ‘Free Money’ Worth It?

    For those who could not attend, a brief recap of several of meetings across ENY Liz Higgins of the Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Program (ENYCHP) held to discuss the reality of hunting and gathering funding for starting or expanding ag businesses. By Liz Higgins and Sandy Buxton My phone rings on a regular basis…

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