Dear John,

I hope this finds you and your family well and safe, and that you are finding ways to take care of yourself and your neighbors during this stressful moment. There is no way around it -- these past few months have been trying.  I’ve been in touch with countless Oregonians about the very real struggles they are facing, from fighting to put lunch on the table for their children amid school closures, to struggling to keep their businesses afloat and employees on the payroll.

I’ve been carrying those stories and experiences with me as I work for the priorities that Oregonians need in Congress’ coronavirus relief legislation, and I’ve been doing my best to keep you up to speed on the provisions included in those bills. One of those important programs is the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which offers loans up to $2 million to qualifying small businesses that have been impacted by the pandemic.

Oregon’s farmers and ranchers are a critical piece of our rural economies, and that’s why I led the charge to successfully include a provision in the most recent coronavirus legislation to make our agricultural businesses, who had been shut out, eligible for the lifeline EIDL can provide.

Unfortunately, due to the way the administration chose to implement the program, Oregon’s farmers and agricultural producers were barred from applying for those vital loans, despite Congress’s express action to include them. When I heard about this from Oregonians, I immediately wrote to the Small Business Administration (SBA), demanding that the agency quickly address its failure to make new EIDL applications available to these businesses. 

Now, I’m reaching out to share some good news: the SBA has agreed to make these loans available to agricultural businesses, providing much needed relief. Applications are available here, and eligible businesses who need this relief should apply as soon as possible, given the high demand for this program. As we move forward, I’m going to keep doing everything I can to not only fight for the resources Oregonians need to weather this storm -- but to make sure those resources are delivered properly.

I also want to thank the workers and families who have shared their experiences with me. Those insights couldn’t be more valuable to my work, and that feedback from across Oregon is informing what I’m fighting for in the next round of relief legislation. I hope you will continue to stay in touch as we navigate this pandemic together.

All my best,
Jeff