A Hunger for Homegrown

COVID-19 Gives Unexpected Boost to Demand American Grown Campaign.

- TERESA SCHIFFER

IT IS NOT YET POSSIBLE to determine the full impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the world’s economies, industries, and social structures, but it is already clear that the global health crisis has had a major impact on almost every segment of society throughout the world.

This is particularly true in the case of American farmers, and most notably those raising crops and livestock in Florida. As international borders closed and many domestic businesses and institutions were forced to shut down for at least a month, one thing became increasingly clear – we in the U.S. are relying too heavily on foreign producers to keep us fed.

The issue of domestic reliance on international agriculture is of special concern to Bud Chiles, National Director of the Demand American Grown campaign (demandamericangrown.org). This organization is committed to educating the public on the importance of agriculture in America and the need to preserve not just large corporate farms in our country, but especially the small farms, the family farms, the smaller-scale farmers that are often hit the hardest. Recent world events have revealed many flaws in America’s food supply chain.

Chiles explains the effect that the coronavirus crisis has had on our nation’s food producers.