The pandemic hit family farms across the Hudson Valley hard. Fewer sales and growing debt are big issues facing farmers.

“Farmers deal with a lot, but if you can focus on the things we do control, like lowering their debt payments, that means they have more economic capacity to weather some hits on the other side of the equation,” Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney said.

Maloney and other elected officials are working to pass the Relief for America’s Small Farmers Act. If passed by Congress, the bill would forgive USDA loans to farmers of up to $250,000.

What You Need To Know

  • The Relief for America’s Small Farmers Act, if passed by Congress, would forgive USDA loans of up to $250,000 for farmers

  • According to the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, farmers across the country received more than $2.6 billion in operating and ownership loans in 2019

  • Gary Glowaczewski from R & G Produce has used some federal programs for farmers and small businesses, but hopes recovery will come sooner, so he will no longer need the help

“One-time debt forgiveness would go a long way to helping the kinds of farms we have here in the Hudson Valley get through these tough times and survive," Maloney says.

According to the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, farmers across the country received more than $2.6 billion in Direct Farm Operating and Direct Farm Ownership loans in 2019.

Gary Glowaczewski from R & G Produce is one farmer in the valley who could benefit from the debt forgiveness.

“Now, I can take, say that money, and then invest in better equipment, more equipment that I need for this,” says Glowaczewski.

He has used some federal programs for farmers and small businesses, including the Paycheck Protection Program, but he hopes recovery will come sooner, so he will no longer need the help.

“We're just hoping that our sales will go back, people will start coming back out, restaurants are open, and just go back to normal," says Glowaczewski. "So we don't need them, or we could just farm and do it on our own."