Category Archives: COVID-19 News

Tons of Hungry People and Tons of Wasted Food

Posted on by
21

It is the age of a global pandemic and for many Americans, it is a time of heightened economic vulnerability. The services of food banks are in increasing demand from both old and new customers as food insecurity explodes as unemployment skyrockets amid the COVID-19 crisis. At the same time, experts predict that we will be seeing a stark increase in our already high levels of food waste. In a good year, America would see 40 percent of its food wasted – 63 million tons. 

Source: Getty Images

This is not a good year. This is a year of panic buying and closed down markets and cafeterias, meaning that we can expect to see more than 40 percent of our food go to waste. The interconnected problems of food insecurity and food waste are certainly not new, but with the rise of COVID-19 they have gained higher visibility and have more far reaching impacts than ever before. 

Food waste management stretches from farm to table. With farmers leaving up to half of their crops unharvested due to cosmetic imperfections and American households representing the largest source of food wasted, food and money are lost at every step of the food system. While it may be tempting to think that our individual choices about how we consume don’t matter within the larger food system, it is this type of thinking that yields high volumes of food rotting in refrigerators and leaves misshapen foods in grocery stores to go to waste.

By changing our individual behaviors, we can dramatically decrease the waste we contribute and thereby improve the food system. And instead of allowing imperfect foods to go to waste on farms, we should be supporting infrastructure that enables these foods to be transported to food banks. If we make change now, we will save lives.

 

Immigrant Farmworkers Deemed Essential, But For How Long?

Posted on by
1

Miriam Jordan of the New York Times gives an update on how undocumented immigrant farmworkers are being affected by COVID-19 and points out the inconsistency in how they’ve been deemed essential during the crisis but still face the threat of deportation. Many agricultural workers have been sent letters from their employers that they can show to authorities if they’re questioned, like an extremely informal pass that may get them out of trouble, if need be.A letter provided to farmworkers in case they are stopped for violating California's shelter-in-place order.(Jordan, 2020)

The food system is struggling to figure out how to handle the far-reaching changes that COVID-19 has brought on. Owners of farms and orchards are having to figure out how to create work environments that don’t put their workers at risk for contracting the disease, while workers themselves have to decide between going to work and risking getting sick, or staying home knowing that without papers they’ll be ineligible for unemployment benefits.

This is a good example of how complex the food supply chain is. It cannot handle the harsh changes in demand that we’re seeing under the pandemic. Restaurant shutdowns and school closures have thrown a huge wrench into the system, causing major changes in the ways consumers get their food, which then causes the people responsible for packing food for schools and restaurants to get laid off, as Jordan notes.

The letters from employers state the obvious: agricultural workers are essential to the food supply chain, essential enough that the Department of Homeland Security recognizes their importance and implores them to keep coming to work. For their treatment, working conditions, or wage to stay the same or get worse after the pandemic is over would make hypocrites out of everyone alongside them in the supply chain – including consumers. It’s unclear if when this is over immigrant workers will be deported or if they’ll finally be recognized as necessary workers and treated accordingly.

-Thomas Star

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/us/coronavirus-undocumented-immigrant-farmworkers-agriculture.html?searchResultPosition=1

Farm workers and Covid-19

Posted on by
1

While most of us are in the safety of our own homes, more than a million of farm workers are continuously working to keep food on America’s table.

Workers and advocates are currently concerned about their safety because some farms do not have adequate supply of disinfecting soap and protective equipment, and the negligence of social distancing guidelines. Another major concern is the limited access to medical care and crowded living conditions. Many of the farm workers are undocumented immigrants, and most of them don’t have health insurance or receive sick leave.

The co-founder of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which represents thousands of farm workers in Florida says that rural communities like his where most of the workers live aren’t prepared for a health crisis such as the current pandemic.

It is very sad and disappointing to hear these statements in regards to people who put their blood, sweat, and tears to provide food for the people of America. Farm workers are supposedly a part of the ‘essential workers’ and yet, they aren’t receiving the support and resources they need to keep themselves healthy and protected from the virus. Growers say that they are doing the best they can to protect workers, even stating that farm workers are their top priority when farm workers have to bring their own soap and masks because their company does not provide any.

Farmworkers harvest zucchini on April 1 in Florida City, Florida.

Photo: Farmworkers harvest zucchini on April 1 in Florida City, Florida

This is obviously a huge concern. We need farm workers. And if they don’t have enough equipment to keep themselves safe and healthy, this may cause disturbance in the food system, disabling production of food which could lead to a food crisis.

It is very difficult to get assistance especially in times of pandemics like this. Even essential workers are struggling to get all the equipment they need to protect their health. This makes me wonder, who should be prioritized the most?

Link: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/11/us/farmworkers-coronavirus/index.html

Coronavirus Exposes Weaknesses

Posted on by
2

Amidst the daily deluge of COVID-19 news, I came across a disturbing image. A photo of rotting fruit, with the title reading, “Farmers destroy crops grown for restaurants, hotels.” The United Press International ran this story last week, citing that farmers across the U.S. are compelled to destroy their crops because of the diminished demand from commercial venues. 

 

Simultaneously, I’m being inundated with stories of people tightening their purses in the face of coronavirus-induced job loss. The juxtaposition of people going hungry while food is being destroyed suggests a serious problem with the national food system: that food is being produced not to feed as many people as possible, but rather to serve commercial interests.

 

The solution is quite complicated. Often, farmers rely on high-volume buyers to make ends meet. Without these sales, farmers face severe financial struggles. Local food banks become overwhelmed with produce that will go bad before it can be distributed, and farmers themselves can’t afford to ship the produce to needy areas. This is where the federal government can step in. By funding supply chain networks between overabundant farms and areas in need, resources can become allocated more appropriately and this strain can be alleviated.

 

Moving food from one place to another is not a panacea for all of the food system’s problems, however. The pandemic has only brought to light the tip of the iceberg of its shortcomings. As systems theory posits, the function of a system must be derived from what it does, not what it is intended to do, and it has become increasingly clear that the modern day food system is structured to profit off of the distribution of food around not only the U.S., but the world, instead of maximizing our capacity to feed as many people as possible. 

From UPI website > Photo courtesy of Tony DiMare/DiMare Fresh

Food Waste & Food Insecurity: COVID-19

Posted on by
1

Since beginning the Political Ecology of the World’s Food System course, I find myself awakening to the way I, my family, my nation, and the world contribute to this planetary system. In the wake of COVID-19, one consequence of our current system that has been more apparent to me is food waste.

Due to the shutdown of bulk buyers like restaurants, the disruption of the food chain has led to farmers struggling to find the demand for their perishable products. As food banks are being overwhelmed by government-bought surplus donations, dairy farmers dump thousands of liters of milk. The abundance of food does not match my individual experience in the grocery store midst COVID-19 where food products appear limited.

The lack of food on the shelves is driven by fear buying and the shortage of labor that cannot keep up with new demands. Fear buying is cited to be a substantial contributor to the current exacerbation of food waste. While the US maneuvers surplus and food hoarding, other nations fear a food crisis due to job shortages and the halt of open trade.

A Call to Action put out by The Food and Land Use Coalition calls on world leaders to maintain open trade, strengthen social programs, and invest in domestic farming. This letter focuses on countries where food insecurity heavily affects their population, such as countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although this letter was written for and during the pandemic, the issues addressed such as malnutrition and access to healthcare have spanned long before Coronavirus.

Food waste and food insecurity are both products of our current system and with COVID-19 disrupting the ability of grocery store workers and trade, this pandemic has magnified pre-existing infrastructure deficiencies.

The Dangers of Biodiversity Loss in Africa

Posted on by
5

Before the emergence of COVID19, there was a common misconception that the “era of infectious diseases” was history due to technological advances and the widespread use of antibiotics and vaccines. However, recent studies have pointed to the growing emergence of zoonotic pathogens, specifically in Africa. 

Key causes of new viral infections stem from areas with high population densities and frequent human interaction with wild animals. The food and agriculture system is increasingly impeding into wildlife, putting global health at risk. Rising populations in Africa are accelerating the expansion of agricultural lands and human settlements into wildlife, while simultaneously fueling the growing bushmeat market. Wet markets for these bushmeats are commonly found in Africa with limited regulations and/or resources leading to overexploitation, hunting and poaching.

Transmission of Wildlife Zoonotic Pathogens

Livestock farmers face severe pressure to meet the market demands and are highly vulnerable to potential infectious diseases. The most common emergence of pathogens from primates are known to come from bats. But, we are seeing more frequently that amplifier hosts, such as pigs and other livestock, are increasing the transmission rates to humans. With overall meat production being at an all time high, this is highly problematic.

Bushmeat has been hunted for centuries by communities who relied on it for subsistence. Bushmeat remains a vital source of food for many impoverished areas in Africa, so it is unrealistic to ban the consumption of these animals altogether. However, bushmeat is often used today to feed Africa’s wealthy urban population, shifting its original purpose of subsistence to a highly profitable commodity. 

To address the growing concern of zoonotic pathogens, there must be effective enforcement of hunting quotas. Cultural preference for the “exotic” bushmeat must also be shifted. Implementing educational programs linking bushmeat practices to zoonotic pathogens could be a start to reducing the number of wildlife animals hunted.

Website: https://www.ifpri.org/blog/africas-growing-risk-diseases-spread-animals-people

Will COVID-19 lead to a food crisis?

Posted on by
1

                     

COVID-19 has brought light to many things that we might have taken for granted before. Toilet paper definitely falls high on that list.

Many prepared for this quarantine by (excessively) stocking up on goods that would allow them to live comfortably at home for months to come. Most businesses are on lockdown and restrictions have been placed on what feels like everything. Yet, even with all of these limitations, a lot of us may not notice any drastic changes in our diet since our pre-COVID-19 days.

I know that I haven’t. 

This could be attributed to the fact that I live in a developed country. Because although there is no global answer to the “will COVID-19 lead to a food crisis?” question- I will most likely fall on the “no” side of the spectrum, according to the predictions of economic models . 

And who is most vulnerable to experience a crisis like this? 

Developing countries. 

COVID-19’s impact could be more conspicuous in these countries due to their lack of economic capacity. 

The surging global recession is due to the lockdown of businesses and has had negative effects on the poor and their food consumption. Incomes have been affected due to restrictions. This has forced families to readjust their diets in order to make ends meet. They’ve shifted away from buying goods like meat/produce and are instead buying other bulked goods like grains which come at lower prices. 

It is not only the market conditions that could potentially raise food prices, but the hoarding and excessive buying as well. 

Richer countries have been able to respond to the economic fallout by initiating monetary policies to help alleviate the negative impact of COVID-19. Developing countries don’t have the funds to act in the same manner which creates a pressure for them to use their resources accordingly.

I am aware that I live in a place where it can be easy to take things for granted, but it’s moments like these that remind me of why I shouldn’t.

Article: https://www.ifpri.org/blog/will-covid-19-cause-another-food-crisis-early-review

Covid-19 puts Vulnerable Agricultural Workers (and our whole food system) at Risk

Posted on by
2

As the nation settles into COVID quarantine, all are adjusting to disturbances. However when it comes to food, most Americans are probably not worried about shortages. After all food is essential and for the most part the grocery stores are still stocked. But with spring upon us, thousands of agricultural workers are arriving in the United States to participate in seasonal harvests of fruits and vegetables. Outbreaks of the virus among these workers could spread quickly in crowded living conditions and result in serious labor shortages, the consequences of which could be felt at the supermarket. 

Reproduced for Educational Purposes from Gross & Honig: "A migrant farmworkers’ dorm room in central North Carolina. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)"

Reproduced for educational purposes from Gross and Honig: “A migrant farmworkers’ dorm room in central North Carolina. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)”

American farmers, particularly in the fruit and vegetable sector, rely heavily on migrant laborers (40-70% of whom are undocumented) to cultivate and harvest (Gross & Honig). For many of these workers, risk of infection is simply less pressing than earning money, so travel plans are unaltered (Honig). Many workers will be risking their lives this season, yet 90% report that their employers have made no effort to inform them of the dangers and necessary precautions associated with the pandemic (Gross & Honig). Even in times absent of pandemic, US migrant agricultural workers are systematically denied basic rights and working condition standards. While performing grueling and dangerous work, many live in horrible conditions without access to healthcare, vulnerable to the whims of their employers and fearing deportation. 

While I hope that the US food system does not become disturbed to the point of serious shortage, the pandemic could be a needed rude awakening to the vulnerabilities of our industrial and impersonal food system. Particularly, the structural vulnerability steaming from the mistreatment of those at the bottom. It is beyond time for us as a nation to re-examine the inhumane treatment and disenfranchisement plaguing those we depend on for our food supply. Perhaps now that our food supply could be at risk, we will.

-Aisling Doyle Wade

Sources:

Gross, Liza & Honig, Esther. 2020. “Migrant Farmworkers Feed America — And

They’re At High Risk For A Coronavirus Outbreak.” Huffpost, March 26, 2020. https://preview.www.huffpost.com/entry/farmworkers-coronavirus_n_5e7cd0b2c5b6cb08a9298f68/preview?preview=f43c0d46-dc82-4add-8208-c7b959487616. 

Hoing, Esther. 2020. “For Mexico’s migrant farmworkers, virus risk may be worth it for

what they’ll earn in U.S.” Fern’s Ag Insider, March 18, 2020. https://thefern.org/ag_insider/for-mexicos-migrant-farmworkers-virus-risk-may-be-worth-it-for-what-theyll-earn-in-u-s/.

Covid-19 Outbreak is a Large Threat to Migrant Farmworkers

Posted on by
2

Amidst the pandemic of the coronavirus, one group of people that is essential to the mass food production of the United States is also at some of the highest risks of an outbreak. Migrant farmworkers are still hard at work across the county while many Americans are able to work from home. The reason these people are much more susceptible to the virus come down to the close quarters that they both work and live in.

Migrant farmworkers are not payed well and a high percentage of them are undocumented. The reason for this is highly political. In our economy in order for food producers to get ahead of the competition, they must resort to cheap and plentiful labor. Because our immigration system makes it so difficult for people to move to this country legally, many people from Mexico and other South and Central America instead move here and are undocumented. And even though American farm labor does not pay well it might be the only choice for undocumented people because it requires no experience and larger farms are willing to hire undocumented immigrants while many other industries are not.

There are a few solutions that may be able to help these migrant farmworkers and immigrants as a whole. While these are longer term solutions and will not stop an outbreak at the moment, the goal from them is to make sure that immigrants no longer need to be in this position. One thing that is very important is making it easier to migrate legally to the United States. This makes so that other industries are more willing to hire immigrants because they are documented, and it also makes it so farms are forced to give their workers at least minimum wage. Another solution is raising the pay of farm workers. This could be done by making a subsidy for large farms, but only if they pay their workers a certain high enough wage. This way the workers are being payed enough to have their own housing. While these are difficult policies to pass and of course will not solve the problem right away, it makes it so that migrant farmworkers are able to have a safer and healthier future.

News Article: https://thefern.org/2020/03/migrant-farmworkers-feed-america-and-theyre-at-high-risk-for-a-coronavirus-outbreak/

Photo Credit: https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/01/29/464758284/activists-demand-a-bill-of-rights-for-california-farm-workers

Is COVID 19 going to create a food crisis?

Posted on by
1

https://www.ifpri.org/blog/will-covid-19-cause-another-food-crisis-early-review

This article takes an early look on the question in whether COVID 19 will create a food crisis. Johan Swinnen, the author, argues it depends on the wealth of an individual and there is no global answer. The more poor you are the more likely to be in a food crisis and if you are wealthy you are probably not going to be in a food crisis.

They argue this based on four main points:

  1. Falling income and and food and nutrition security
    1. Food consumption and as a result nutrition would be reduced during this crisis.
    2. The fall of income caused this as access to food becomes limited to people with loss of income due to the COVID crisis. 
  2. Disruption of private value chains
    1. Harvesting is disrupted due to lack of labor and materials needed such as fertilizers and seeds. 
    2. This disportinonaly affects small and medium sized businesses in which the poor depend on for food.
  3. Disruptions in public sector programs
    1. Many poor people depended on school feeding programs for reliable access to food.
    2. Public food relief programs risk people being exposed to the virus.
  4. Limited government capacity to compensate
    1. Developing countries focused their resources on healthcare and essential goods and services.
    2. The result is that people from developing nations can’t rely on their government for compensation or help.

All of these points drive in the narrative that a food crisis is going to be on the world’s hand for a while. It is not just going to affect developing nations more but any segment of the world’s population that has their income affected and access affected. This blog gives any individual a perspective in why it’s important to make sweeping policies changes in food security.