Battling an Invisible Enemy

Western irrigators respond to the COVID-19 pandemic

Instead of harvesting a healthy crop, crews had to disc up heads of lettuce in fields at Harris Farms, near Coalinga (CALIFORNIA). Much of the crop was destined for restaurants, but many have either closed or have been reduced to takeout orders. Photo source: ABC30 Fresno.

Family Farm Alliance representatives in the past month have briefed Congressional staff and participated in a COVID-19 ZOOM meeting with Idaho Governor Brad Little on how the virus has impacted Western irrigators on the ground. Western agriculture has been hard hit in the past two months, due primarily to loss of markets, disruptions in the food supply chain, collapse in commodity prices, and labor challenges.

This edition of the “Monthly Briefing” continues our coronavirus coverage and provides an overview of: 1) How this crisis is impacting the food service industry and the underlying agricultural supply system; 2) The response from the White House and Capitol Hill; and 3) How Western water users are adapting to a drastically changed working environment. Click here to read more, and to learn about these other developments important to Western irrigated agriculture:

• More COVID-19 Coverage
• California vs Trump: The Epic Battle Over Water Continues
• U.S. Supreme Court Unveils New Test on Scope of Clean Water Act
• President Trump’s WOTUS Rewrite: Let the Lawsuits Begin
• Cuckoo…Cuckoo….Alliance Joins California Groups on Critical Habitat Letter
• Senate EPW Committee Releases Draft Bills

Please email dan@familyfarmalliance.org if you have problems downloading the “Monthly Briefing”.