$280,000 Available to Animal Ag

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and PennAg Industries on May 26 announced that $280,000 is available to Pennsylvania’s poultry, swine, lamb, goat, and sheep processors to reimburse costs associated with the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) for their workforce.

The PPE Reimbursement Program is available to any processor or support service of poultry, swine, lamb, goats, and sheep impacted in Pennsylvania that has had a need to purchase PPE to protect the workforce from COVID-19 between Feb. 19, 2020, and May 18, 2020, and can produce a paid receipt for the product.

Applicants can receive up to $16,000 in the following three categories:

• Up to $1,000 for bilingual training materials and signage;

• Up to $5,000 for prevention and surveillance tools (such as thermometers);

• Up to $10,000 for PPE and sanitation/cleaning materials (including masks, coveralls, gloves, face shields, hand sanitizer, cleaning products).

Producers interested in applying for reimbursement should complete the application and submit it, along with copies of receipts, to the Center for Poultry and Livestock Excellence at pennag@pennag.com.

Questions about the program or application should be directed to Jennifer Reed-Harry at jrharry@pennag.com.

Funding is available on a first-come, first-serve basis until June 12, 2020, or until funds are exhausted.

For a complete list of guidance documents and information as it relates to agriculture during COVID-19 mitigation in Pennsylvania visit agriculture.pa.gov/COVID.

For the most accurate, timely information related to Health in Pennsylvania, visit on.pa.gov/coronavirus.

The funding is through the commonwealth’s Center for Poultry and Livestock Excellence.