Updated: December 15, 2021
Contents
- PPP Loan Forgiveness Information
- Reminder to stay vigilant
- Employee Retention Credit
- Agriculture Worker and Employer Safety
- Federal and State Resources
- Tax Planning and Preparation
- Customer Assistance Program
- NEW New York customers: COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program
Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Information
The forgiveness process continues to be a challenge as many Northeast ag operations have unique situations and circumstances. For Farm Credit East consultants to complete due diligence through the process, we cannot answer one-off questions as all details and loan forgiveness requirements need dedicated time and attention. To keep the forgiveness as smooth as possible, we ask for your patience and to wait for our outreach if you’ve hired us to complete your forgiveness application.
If you obtained your PPP loan from Farm Credit East…
you have been emailed with instructions for the process and timeline for completing their PPP forgiveness application. These borrowers should refer to the email that they received from PPP@FarmCreditEast.com for instructions.If you obtained your PPP loan from Kabbage (KServicing)…
all eligible borrowers with clear applications should have received their PPP Forgiveness invitations as of August 26, 2021. If borrowers have not received their invitation, call Kabbage (KServicing) directly at 888.351.3143 or click here for a 1-page guide on how to troubleshoot.
You must apply for forgiveness through Kabbage’s partner company, KServicing. Here's how it works:
- You will receive an email from KServicing inviting you to apply for forgiveness. This is your invitation and link to apply for forgiveness.
- The forgiveness invitation instructs you to use the KServicing Biz2X dashboard. Be prepared with all of your required documentation before you log in. The documentation required is unique to your business type, loan size and how you chose to spend your PPP funds.
- Once you’ve logged in, follow the instructions carefully and completely to submit your forgiveness application. If there are any questions or errors about the information in the KServicing/Biz2x system, you must call the KServicing customer service team to resolve these so that there are no unintended impacts like mismatched documentation.
Contact KServicing directly for PPP loan forgiveness information: 888.351.3143 | Mon. – Fri. 8am - 9pm | Sat. – Sun. 10am - 6pm
- Didn't receive your email yet? Click here for 1-page guide on how to troubleshoot!
- The email will be delivered to the email address you used to sign your loan documents with Kabbage (KServicing)
- It is the responsibility of the loan holder to ensure your email is correct
- Even if you’ve hired Farm Credit East to complete your forgiveness application, we will still need the email you’ve received from KServicing to access your forgiveness link
- Check your junk or spam folders to confirm emails aren’t being delivered to these inboxes
If you obtained your PPP loan from another financial institution…
you must apply for forgiveness with that institution. Contact them for information on their forgiveness process and their specific instructions.
Reminder to Stay Vigilant
There have been increasing reports of scammers attempting to take advantage of COVID-19 relief programs to access personal information. Farm Credit East reminds customers to stay vigilant in monitoring your accounts for unusual activity and report anything suspicious. Click here to read an article with key tips from Farm Credit East information security specialist Deanna Pellegrino on how to protect yourself from heightened scams.
Farm Credit East holds the security of our customers’ data as a top priority. We use industry-leading best practices to ensure that your account information stays secure. You can better protect yourself by recognizing, preventing and reporting fraudulent activity and by understanding and implementing the tips, policies and procedures outlined in the Fraud Information Center, provided by CoBank, our valued partner and funding bank. Learn more
Employee Retention Credit
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) extended the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) through December 31, 2021. This PDF document will assist you in determining whether you qualify. In some cases, the amount of refundable tax credits could be substantial. There is also additional information on Farm Credit East’s blog. If you believe you qualify or would like assistance in determining qualification, contact your Farm Credit East financial services professional.
Agriculture Worker and Employer Safety
Interim guidance from the CDC and U.S. Department of Labor provides a control plan template to aid agricultural operations in protecting ag workers from COVID-19. Agricultural employers and management should identify risks and work to ensure agricultural worker safety with the strategies recommended. Visit CDC.gov to learn more.
Federal and State Resources on COVID-19
Farm Credit East has compiled a list of the most pertinent COVID-19 resources from the federal government, state departments of agriculture and the seven Northeast state governments in Farm Credit East’s territory.
Tax Planning and Preparation
Today's Harvest Blog
Farm Credit East publishes a new Tax Talks article to its Today's Harvest blog once per month, with posts covering a wide range of topics that help Northeast agriculture and Farm Credit East customers optimize their tax strategy and reduce tax liability. Farm Credit East Senior Tax Consultant Dario Arezzo is the primary author of this series. Click here for Tax Talks
Customer Assistance Program
As a customer-owned cooperative, Farm Credit East is committed to providing the services and resources that our members need. That is why we offer assistance and counseling services through the ESI Group, at no additional cost to our customers. Visit FarmCreditEast.com/cap for more information.
COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program
New York has recently updated the rules for its COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program. The program can provide grants up to $50,000 for businesses with up to $2.5 million in gross sales eligible to apply. Farm Credit East advised Empire State Development which is administering the program on how to ensure farmers were eligible to apply for the grants. Visit Nysmallbusinessrecovery.com to learn more about this program and apply.
