CALIFORNIA - The produce industry is one of resilience, and no one is proving this fact more than our nation’s growers, suppliers, and grocery retailers. With the ongoing development of COVID-19, the California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF) is assuring consumers that farmers and ranchers are continuing to ship food and farm products to the market and staying dedicated to maintaining plentiful supplies of safe food.
"It's in challenging times like these when farmers' and ranchers' true passion shines: feeding and contributing to the stability of our local communities, state, and country," said CFBF President Jamie Johansson. "In fields, orchards, processing plants, and down the line to farmers markets and grocery stores, California agriculture remains on the job."
Along with working with its members and other agricultural employees to enact the latest health and safety guidelines, the Farm Bureau is also collaborating with local, state, and federal government agencies to assure availability of the human and physical resources needed to maintain plentiful food supplies, according to a press release.
"We may need to adjust on-farm practices to account for social distancing and other measures to further assure the safety of our employees. Farm Bureau members from north to south have been proactive in adjusting daily activities to keep themselves and their employees safe,” Johansson continued. "Through drought, freeze, world wars, and the trauma of 9/11, farmers and ranchers and people throughout the food chain have kept Americans supplied with safe, affordable food and farm products. That same ethic will drive us in the days and weeks to come."
In order to carry out its mission of protecting California family farms and ranches, CFBF offices in Sacramento have closed in compliance with the stay-at-home protocol announced Tuesday by Sacramento County authorities.
"Keeping up with daily announcements and directives from all levels of governments so our members can remain focused on their farms and ranches has been all-consuming," Johansson said. "CFBF employees will continue to work from their homes to provide services to county Farm Bureaus and our members, and we know each county Farm Bureau will also do what they can to work for their members."
The California Farm Bureau Federation includes 34,000 members throughout California and is part of a nationwide network of nearly 5.6 million Farm Bureau members.
AndNowUKnow will continue to provide coverage on the works being carried out by our industry's leaders during this time.
