Farm Aid has activated its Family Farm Disaster Fund to provide immediate aid to family farmers in hurricane-affected regions.

The organization's hurricane relief efforts will focus on family farmers and ranchers who have lost their barns, livestock, crops, fields, pastures, and other essential farm infrastructure. Farm Aid will also support farmers who were spared major damage but suffered economic losses due to closures of grocery stores, restaurants, farmers markets, and other outlets.

A press release sent by Farm Aid states that every dollar raised by the Family Farm Disaster Fund will support local and regional organizations in the affected areas working on the ground to distribute emergency grants to farm families and to offer resources that help farmers navigate their farm recovery options.

Local and state farm service providers are also available to help farmers access mental health support, as well as help farmers apply for federal disaster recovery funds and resources, focusing on the small and diversified family farms in the region that often fall through the cracks of such programs. 

Well-known food organization Chipotle made the first major donation to the Family Farm Disaster Fund for $250,000.

"Many farmers lost everything — and some still don't have power, running water, and other basic needs. Their resilience is tremendous, but so is their need," said Farm Aid's Program Director, Shorlette Ammons. "Family farmers can't wait the months it takes for disaster assistance to come. To lose one more farm to another hurricane or climate-related disaster is one too many."

Farm Aid has stepped in quickly after natural disasters to assist farmers and ranchers for nearly four decades, the press release said.

"We encourage companies across all industries to join us in supporting the Family Farm Disaster Fund during this exceedingly challenging time for farmers in the Southeast," said Chipotle Chief Brand Officer Chris Brandt. "American farmers are the lifeblood of this country and the faster we can help them recover, the faster their communities can heal."

To apply for relief, you can call Farm Aid at 1-800-FARM-AID, and visit farmaid.org/hurricaneresources and farmaid.org/disaster for a list of available resources. To donate, please visit farmaid.org/disasterfund.