Block Grant AM21SPRSMS0007

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service awarded a $1.6 million block grant to the State of Mississippi under the Pandemic Relief Activities: Farm and Food Worker Relief Grant Program (CFDA 10.181). The grant funds will be administered by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources to provide relief to seafood processing facilities, processing vessels, and dealers in Mississippi impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible reimbursement activities include workplace safety measures, market pivots, facility retrofits, transportation, worker housing, and medical expenses incurred to prepare for, prevent exposure to, and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding will be distributed to eligible seafood processors and vessels located in Mississippi on a case-by-case basis based on local conditions and industry needs, with reimbursements not necessarily covering all expenses submitted.