The global COVID-19 pandemic is touching nearly every part of our lives – including food and agriculture. Necessary measures to contain the spread of the virus have resulted in the immediate loss of key markets for growers, and ongoing uncertainty threatens farmers' ability to plan for the growing season just underway. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of people nationwide have been laid off, and the need for emergency support – including food – for the most vulnerable in our society is now.
Now is the time to make sure that farmers, ranchers, and the innovative food and farm businesses building resilient local and regional food systems get the support they need to continue feeding our communities, paying their employees, and responding rapidly to emergency needs. In any broader stimulus or farm recovery package, we need:
Here's what that aid can look like in our communities: direct aid for the vulnerable producers most impacted by this crisis, including farmers who sell to local, regional, and direct markets who aren't well served by traditional disaster payments. Increasing the government's ability to purchase local farm products and get them into the emergency food system for those in need. Investing in community efforts on the frontlines – like new approaches for connecting growers with new customers and food aid, helping farmers boost food safety measures, and more.