How Has the Coronavirus Pandemic Impacted California Food, Agriculture, and Environment?

The University of California Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics just released a special coronavirus issue of ARE Update. The report includes three articles addressing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on farm labor, food security, and traffic and pollution in California. ARE Professor Michael Anderson writes about vehicle traffic (and associated pollution) in California and shows that travel dropped dramatically—40 – 60%—in California following the stay-at-home order, but then began increasing in mid April, long before any restrictions on the stay-at-home order were lifted.

The report also includes profiles of leading California agricultural industries and illustrates the different ways the pandemic has impacted leading industries like dairy, beef, and produce – industries that have scrambled to repurpose products from foodservice to retail; and tree nuts – an industry that saw a temporary spike in sales as consumers hoarded storable goods. The report includes expert assessments of what the future holds for California’s cattle, dairy, produce, strawberry, tomato, tree nut, and wine industries.

Full Report can be found here: https://s.giannini.ucop.edu/uploads/giannini_public/d4/e0/d4e0d72d-648c-4a0e-9048-cef6d9f2ba77/v23n5.pdf