Unexpected victim of coronavirus: why farmers throw food during an epidemic

The heaps of harvested zucchini and yellow pumpkin ripened and then rotted under the hot Florida sun, and the juicy tomatoes remained wilted in the farmers' fields. Writes about it NBC Montana.

Photo: Shutterstock

Thousands of acres of vegetables grown in Florida have remained rotting in the fields because farmers cannot sell them, since all restaurants and other establishments are closed due to coronavirus.

Other states are facing similar problems—agriculture officials say leafy greens in California have been hit particularly hard, and dairy farmers in Vermont and Wisconsin say they've had to dump excess milk destined for restaurants.

With most of the crop, the issue is acute in Florida. For example, several dozen people sold 25-pound (11-kilogram) boxes of tomatoes directly from the packaging plant for only $ 5 per box.

"It's a disaster," said tomato grower Tony DiMar, who owns farms in south Florida and the Tampa Bay area. “We haven’t even started to calculate the loss yet.” It will be measured in millions of dollars. The losses are growing every day."

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Florida leads the US in producing tomatoes, green beans, cabbage and peppers. While some products are destined for grocery stores, many farmers serve exclusively the so-called foodservice market—restaurants, schools and theme parks. Farmers were hit hard as cities and states imposed shelter-in-place orders and all establishments were closed.

The agricultural industry is Florida's second largest economic driver. It generates $155 billion in revenue and supports about 2 million jobs.

Many manufacturers donated food to food banks, but there are restrictions on what charities can accept, and the problem of storing perishable fruits and vegetables is one of them. DiMar said some food banks in central Florida are crowded. After the closure of many state institutions, manufacturers donated a huge amount of products.

Farmers are trying to sell to grocery stores, but it's not that easy. Large chains have already entered into contracts with farmers who grow produce for retail sales, many outside the United States.

80% of tomatoes grown in Florida were for restaurants and theme parks that closed due to coronavirus.

20 federal Florida lawmakers and state commissioner for agriculture Nikki Fried sent letters to the head of the US Department of Agriculture Sonny Purdue urging Florida farmers to be included in federal food procurement and distribution programs so that surplus agricultural products can help feed hungry and undernourished . According to Feeding America, a nationwide food banking network, some 37 million Americans were unable to feed themselves before a pandemic.

Federal law provides for assistance to farmers in the amount of $ 9,5 billion.

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Some farmers tried to sell food boxes directly to customers. This approach is used in many places because the pandemic is striking restaurants and catering facilities around the world.

Wholesalers in London, who usually sell fruits and vegetables to restaurants, have begun home delivery. But large farmers know that such a sale of the crop will yield little to their profit.

“The end of the winter vegetable season in Yuma, Arizona, was devastating for farmers who rely on buyers,” said Corey Lunde, spokesman for Western Growers, a group representing farmers in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. There are many farmers who have crops that will go unharvested and go to waste.”

He said the jump in demand for products at the beginning of the outbreak has now decreased.

“People are staying home and not going to grocery stores often,” Lunde said. “So the losses continue to grow.”

In South Florida, Paul Allen, RC President Hatton Farms shot a video showing green beans that were supposed to be sold in restaurants.

“You can see this huge field of beans,” he said, holding up his cellphone camera to show a tractor turning all the useful plants and beans into soil.

Allen, who cultivates about 12 acres (000 hectares) in Florida and Georgia, is praying that the situation will improve by the time of the harvest in North Florida and Georgia.

“We just hope we can live another day,” Allen said.

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