Here's a quick press release about a relief fund for farmers.  If you know farmers who need help, or if you want to help, read on!

FarmieMarket and All Good Bakers have teamed up with the Regional Farm and Food Project to raise money to assist farmers in the Tropical Storm Irene recovery effort. In order to utilize and disperse the money we have raised in the most effective and efficient way possible, we would like to gather some information from the farm community to identify priority needs.
We have a limited amount of money to dispense and a large number of people we want to help.  We want to prioritize payments and immediate needs  to sustain farm operations and help them move towards recovery.  Our Fund will not be able to pay for the reconstruction of barn, or replace entire harvest incomes; but, with good information, we can prioritize meeting immediate needs, like covering moderate winter feed expenses to replace hay and grains lost in the storm, repairing fencing and equipment, or covering fuel bills.  We ask that farmers tell us what we can reasonably do to help them, and focus on covering costs they do not expect to recover from other sources.
Here is the link to the form:  http://www.farmiemarket.com/FM/Irene_Farmers_files/IreneFundAppFormfillable.pdf .  It would be tremendously helpful if you could help us get these forms in the hands of farmers who need assistance.  As professionals in the field, we trust your expertise and knowledge of the farming landscape.  If you wouldn't mind printing and distributing these forms in your travels in the community, it would be a great help.  Also, for farmers who still have internet access, it would be great if you could forward the link to these forms.  Lastly, if you could forward it to your colleagues so they can forward it to theirs, we could greatly appreciate it.
Farmers can print and mail the form to: RFFP – Irene Relief Fund, PO Box 621, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, or save it and email it to [email protected] as an attachment.
If you would like to donate, here is the link to our page on causes.com: http://www.causes.com/causes/632299-support-local-farms-damaged-by-hurricane-irene
We look forward to being able to help the farm community move towards recovery!  Thank you for your help in our endeavor!