By Greg Goodsell
Agriculture, an unquestioned essential industry, is operating at expected levels during the pandemic. A disruption, however brief in the United States’ agricultural production would lead to disastrous consequences for the nation, if not the world with long-term consequences. Farm workers cannot currently take any time off, be it from falling ill or temporary furloughs.
Much farm production is seasonal in nature. Agriculture heavily relies on the late spring in the waning days in the month of May until the final days of October, before the expected frost of the later autumnal and winter months.
Dairy farms, in particular must milk cows in a timely manner or face disrupting production of related dairy products. While a quart of milk is readily available at local grocery store chains, there are many several related dairy industries such as cheese and ice cream reliant on unbroken production. If milk is not produced in a timely manner, it rapidly spoils, cows fall ill with physical issues and other dairy foodstuffs suffer a break in production.
If dairy farmers would be furloughed, if only for a couple of days, milk products at supermarkets would become noticeably scarce. The current run on toilet paper and paper towels would quickly be superseded by a rapid consumer demand for yogurt and ice cream.
Dairy farms also revolve on a highly complex system of nurturing and grooming milking cows, which can take over a year of development. A sudden cessation in dairy production would result in unmilked cows, lost profits and untold waste.
Soybean and corn production also play a vital part in our national industries of poultry and cattle. A disruption of these industries would result in a massive production failure involving chicken, beef and pork.
Food producers are currently facing an unprecedented break in distribution as many restaurants have gone dark, or are open for very limited hours. While food intended for restaurants can be redirected to grocery stores, it’s not that simple logistically.
Fruits, such as bananas and apple spoil rapidly. Institutions such as schools and restaurants are currently telling distributors that they currently have no use for such foodstuffs, and the trip to other grocery outlets results in increasing spoilage. Distributors, if they are able to find outlets for the food, must do so at substantial markdowns.
The beverage industry is also facing a dramatic downturn, as events such as weddings and parties have been put on hold indefinitely. While many Americans are reaching to beer and wine at their local supermarket to “take the edge off” during the current pandemic, this doesn’t make up for the shortfall felt at banquet halls and conventions.
Especially worrisome is the prospect of farm workers falling ill from Covid 19. Many laborers work in close proximity to each other and reside in communal bunkhouses, where the transmission of the virus could get a ready foothold.
The loss of a 30-person work crew would be very disruptive, as farmworkers are already hard to find. Replacing 30 people in a matter of days would not be possible.
Timing of a sudden stop in agricultural production would be crucial in providing food on the table for Americans, according to Bryant Spivey, Johnston County Extension Director. “Most of our production of crops is timed around making the best use of our frost-free period,” Spivey says. “In my career we have never faced anything like COVID-19. Disasters for agriculture have typically been localized.”
Theoretically, a break in agricultural production in November and December would have limited consequences. A disruption in the late spring months of April and May, Spivey warns, could be potentially catastrophic.
Spivey remains optimistic, pointing out that the coronavirus has largely been an issue in major metropolitan areas, and not in rural areas where most American agriculture is produced.
