The Packer and the Equitable Food Initiative partnered on a survey to take the pulse of the agriculture industry and to ensure the lessons that helped agricultural businesses survive in the past year during the pandemic are shared within the industry.
The EFI survey polled more than 50 produce operators about their experiences during the pandemic. Responses from the survey reference the mental health of workers, given the ongoing demands and stress, increased family pressures with children at home and elderly parents sick or isolated, and the difficulties in rolling out the vaccine. While the challenges from the pandemic remain, there are opportunities that emerge. “I think the pandemic has pushed people towards cooking for themselves much more, as well as connecting food to their health in profound ways. Both of these have pushed produce sales skyward, as well as smaller niche categories seeing a huge boost (mushrooms, sprouts, probiotics),” one respondent said.
