No surprise, survey shows rural farmers hurt by COVID-19

It wasn’t surprising a survey conducted by the California Farm Bureau Federation showed farmers and ranchers have been hit hard by COVID-19.

And it also wasn’t suprising that the survey found the two biggest problems farmers and ranchers are facing are lost markets and the ability to make money in other jobs not in agriculture.

Fifty-seven percent of farmers and ranchers who responded to the voluntary survey said they’ve lost customers or sales due to COVID-19. That’s not surprising with restaurants having to cut back as they no longer are able to offer dine-in services.

42 percent of those who responded said they or an immediate family member have lost income from jobs not related to their ranch or farm because of that employment being cut back or because stay-athome orders to care for children because school campuses are closed and many child care facilities have also closed.

The biggest reason for losing business those in the survey say is the shelter-in-place order. Fifty-two percent say they’ve lost business because other businesses such as restaurants have also lost business due to the shelter-in-place order.

“Just as in the rest of society, the effects of the pandemic have reverberated throughout rural California,” CFBF President Jamie Johansson said. “There’s no aspect of farming, ranching or agricultural business that has been spared.”

Johansson went on to say what farmers and their families can earn away from the agricultural industry is an important source of income for them.

“Most farm and ranch households count on offfarm income to supplement what they earn from agriculture,” Johansson said, “and have seen those jobs reduced at the same time as prices farmers and ranchers earn for many crops and commodities have fallen.”

About 75 percent of those who responded, though, did say they’ve been able to maintain their operations. Twenty-four percent did say they’ve had to cease their operations.

Of those saying they’ve had to reduce operations, only 20 percent said it was because of employees unable to work. Most of those employees couldn’t work because they were considered to be in a high-risk group for COVID-19. Of those who said they had to reduce their operations, most said it was because of lost revenue due to cuts in customer orders.

One-third of those responded said they’ve been able to do their normal planting because of a lack of personal protective equipment. Of those respondents, most said the equipment lacking most was N-95 masks.

Fifty-seven percent who responded said they have applied or will apply for COVID-19 relief funding.

“Farmers and ranchers are doing all they can to maintain essential activities and provide plentiful, safe food,” Johansson said.

“But there’s no question the pandemic has put a strain on rural California. At local, state and federal levels, Farm Bureau will advocate for policies that ease that strain while assuring

the health and safety of farmers, ranchers, their employees, families and customers.”

There were a total of 510 responses in the survey.

To review the survey results, visit www.cfbf. com/impactsurvey.