By Rachel A. Davis, Prevention Institute, May 7, 2020
My father, a farmer, called me a few weeks ago to share that he had just stopped picking mid-harvest because of disruptions in produce distribution lines due to the coronavirus pandemic. I felt concerned for my family, for other farmers, and for families across the country that were struggling to feed their children. In the meantime, my sister, the ranch manager, spent days personally handpicking and boxing 1,600 pounds of the unpicked produce and got it to a local food bank.
I was proud of my sister’s herculean efforts, but one rancher can’t address a crisis of this scale. That’s why I was so happy when Governor Newsom announced an expansion of California’s Farm to Family program, an initiative to connect farmers with food banks.
This is government at its best: addressing a complex and real need for the people. In the midst of a pandemic outbreak and economic collapse, we need good government now more than ever to mobilize resources and people power to save lives and address inequities plaguing our communities.
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