Gigi Berardi reads on FoodWISE—our agriculture is shrinking in terms of numbers. This is a good article in terms of agriculture resilience challenges. Coronavirus is cutting into demand. We have got to find markets for our produce, and then think about systemic change.
This year, the state dairy industry already has been slammed by lost sales to restaurants, schools and other food services, and prices have dropped by more than 30 percent since March 1, which is far too low for many producers to be profitable, according to Don McMoran a Washington State University Extension official based in the Skagit Valley. “There are going to be fewer dairy farmers here and around the nation until we get things sorted out,” said McMoran, who noted three of 29 dairy operators already have announced this spring that they would cease operations.
For more, see farming and dropping demand.