How is the Coronavirus Outbreak Impacting the Food System?

How is the Coronavirus outbreak impacting the food system? …and what’s being done about it? Information about how the pandemic is impacting farmers and the ag/food supply chain, how food companies are repurposing to help out, an update on the Emerging Leaders in Food & Ag Awards event, and more…

 

Emerging Leaders in Food & Ag Event Postponed

How strange it felt yesterday to be sitting at our home office computers when we should have been getting ready to celebrate our Emerging Leaders in Food & Ag finalists and Top 20 award winners. But please be assured that we have not canceled the Emerging Leaders in Food & Ag event (originally scheduled for March 30). We are working now to secure new dates in August, when we can celebrate, train, and connect people doing important work across the food system.

With everything going on in the world right now, the work of those who grow, harvest, deliver, prepare, serve, and support our food supply is more critical than ever. Our Emerging Leaders team will do our best to support the industry by providing information in our communication to our network. We will also take this time to further highlight the people you chose as nominees for our first class of award winners. Please share stories that might be valuable to the community to info@emergingleadersfa.com and we will consider including them in our next newsletter.

We will continue to communicate via email and on our website as more plans are made regarding the rescheduled event. We’re here to answer any questions you may have.

We wish you the best of health,
Sarah & Keri – The Emerging Leaders in Food & Ag team

Coronavirus Update:

How is the Pandemic Impacting the Food System?
U.S. Farmers Expand Food Deliveries During Coronavirus Outbreak
Farmers in rural America are expanding food delivery services to meet rising demand from consumers seeking to isolate themselves during the coronavirus pandemic and frustrated by empty grocery-store shelves. Read more

Farm Workers at Increased Coronavirus Risk
Health workers believe that it’s a matter of time before COVID-19 hits rural communities. Here’s how they’re trying to slow its spread. Read more

Food Supply Threatened As Worry About Workers Falling Ill Increases
The continuing availability of agricultural workers illustrates the paradox of America’s food supply in the age of COVID-19. One end of the food supply chain has been completely upended as restaurants go dark and consumers prowl half-empty aisles of supermarkets. Food producers, though, are operating almost as normal — at least for now. Read more

Help Is on the Way

CARES Act Would Allow USDA to Provide Direct Aid for Producers
The House passed legislation Friday to help the economy respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would boost agriculture and food aid in different ways, including providing direct aid to livestock producers. Read more

How Small Farms Can Survive the Coronavirus Pandemic
Some tips and advice for farmers who want to protect their farm income during the COVID-19 health crisis and continue to provide healthy, immune-system-supporting food when people need it the most. Read more

Ag Economists Lay Out Importance of Keeping Supply Chain Functioning
From grocery store employees to transportation companies, essential employees are working overtime to make sure the U.S. food supply chain continues to operate smoothly. Read more

Refocusing Resources for the Greater Good
Distilleries Around the Country Are Now Making Hand Sanitizer
As social distancing and quarantine measures continue in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, spirits distilleries around the U.S. are pitching in in their own way by altering their production lines to focus on the manufacture of hand sanitizer. Read more

Anheuser-Busch Funnels Budget into Coronavirus Relief
Anheuser-Busch, the country’s largest sponsor of sporting events and concerts, is redeploying the money it normally would spend on sports and entertainment sponsorships to relief efforts for the coronavirus pandemic. Read more

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