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I've spent the last couple of weeks talking to farmworkers, farmers and others in #SanDiego's agricultural industry to better understand how #COVID19 is affecting their lives.
Here's what I found. (thread)
Here's what I found. (thread)
While food is in high demand, the folks and businesses in charge of providing those products are struggling to stay afloat.
Why? It's hard to say, but there are several reasons.
• Farmer's Markets, a big sources of income for many small farmers in San Diego, are closing.
• Farmer's Markets, a big sources of income for many small farmers in San Diego, are closing.
• San Diego is known for its specialty crops. The pandemic can make it harder for farmers to sell guavas and cherimoyas when more common products like lettuces or zucchinis may be flying off the shelves.
• For produce distributors, the closure of restaurants has been a big blow for business. There are now just a few restaurants that need to place orders since most have closed their doors.
Because of all that, there's been a domino effect in the industry.
Restaurants are closing → food distributors aren't receiving a lot of orders → farmer's are struggling to sell their produce and are losing income → so therefore farmworkers are having their hours cut.
Restaurants are closing → food distributors aren't receiving a lot of orders → farmer's are struggling to sell their produce and are losing income → so therefore farmworkers are having their hours cut.
Check out my photo essay for @voiceofsandiego to learn more. https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/news/farmworkers-confront-losses-uncertainty-despite-demand-for-food/
In Los Angeles, produce distributors are facing a similar predicament.
Story by @G_Sny. https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2020-03-31/produce-vendors-wholesale-market-coronavirus
Story by @G_Sny. https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2020-03-31/produce-vendors-wholesale-market-coronavirus
Back in San Diego, @sdut's @Deborahsbrennan and @pamkragen looked at how local farmers are creating new means of food distribution amid coronavirus closures. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/story/2020-03-22/san-diego-farmers-markets
And while we're talking about farmworkers, @CalMatters'
@k_cimini recently wrote about the need for more face masks, which shield workers from pesticides and field dust that can cause respiratory problems. https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2020/03/farmworkers-unprotected-face-masks-coronavirus/
@k_cimini recently wrote about the need for more face masks, which shield workers from pesticides and field dust that can cause respiratory problems. https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2020/03/farmworkers-unprotected-face-masks-coronavirus/
"We do feel exploited, maybe more than ever."
Story by Evelyn Nieves. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/03042020/covid-farmworkers-california-climate-change-agriculture
Story by Evelyn Nieves. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/03042020/covid-farmworkers-california-climate-change-agriculture
