By Johanna Doren, FairShare CSA Coalition
It is an incredible understatement to say that global pandemics are humbling. They force us to step back and pinpoint what we deem “essential.” To acknowledge the people and services we cannot function without. Farmers—specifically those who grow nutritious food for their community—undoubtedly fall into this category. And they have already been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Local farmers are tightly woven into the Madison area’s rich farm-to-table culture. The closure of schools, farmers’ markets, and restaurants, however, has eliminated significant income streams for farms, causing harsh financial hardship. Farmers must now make difficult decisions about the upcoming growing season and whether they can find new markets for their product. A group of analysts at Agri-Pulse, a food and agriculture policy journal, estimate an economic loss of up to $1.32 billion between March and May 2020 due to local and regional food market closures.
At the same time, a strong local food system is precisely the answer to creating a self-sustaining, nourished, and healthy community. As extreme situations highlight the importance of indispensable resources, this global pandemic has shown how crucial local food systems are and will continue to be. Decentralized local producers and distributors have proven to be more agile than their national counterparts, quickly pivoting in response to this crisis. In addition, a shortened supply chain helps us ensure that fewer hands touch our food. Buying from a local farmer allows us to ask what specific precautions they are taking to ensure on-farm safety.
So what can you, as a consumer, do to sustain our local food system while staying safe and healthy?
1. Buy Locally Grown Produce When You Shop
Look for the purple signs in the Co-op’s Produce department.
2. Become a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Member
Joining a CSA is a fantastic way to buy local food directly from a farmer. You purchase a “share” in early spring (that’s right now!), which helps the farmer pay for supplies, seeds, and employees. Then the farmer delivers a box of their products to you regularly throughout the growing season. Farms offer both traditional farmer-selected boxes and customizable options. Many local farmers are now using online ordering systems and home delivery. Find a CSA farm and available options at csacoalition.org and use the Farm Search to narrow down your options based on location, season, share size, home delivery availability, and more.
3. Participate in Farmers’ Markets Innovations
While farmers’ markets in Madison are currently closed, there are alternative means to buying locally, such as local food pick-ups. Stay up-to-date with the Dane County Farmers’ Market (DCFM) and other farmers’ markets for news about reopenings: www.cityofmadison.com/live-work/neighborhoods/farmers-markets.
4. Order Community Food Deliveries
Examples include Brix Cider and Landmark Creamery, who deliver dozens of products from local producers to households in Dane and Green Counties.
5. Patronize Programs That Give Back
For example, buying “Neighbor Loaves” bread made with at least 50% locally grown grain from participating bakeries like Madison Sourdough. Neighbor Loaves are distributed to community feeding organizations to support your neighbors in need.
6. Dane County Farmers’ Market/FairShare Emergency Farmer Fund
Consider making a donation to this fund to assist farmers that have already been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Co-op is matching donations made starting May 1 through 31 up to a maximum of $5,000 donated. For more information, see www.gofundme.com/f/emergency-farmer-fund
7. REAP Food Group and Roots 4Change Farms To Families Emergency Initiative
Consider making a donation to help this program purchase fresh, healthy, locally grown food from regional family farms and provide it to Madison-area Latino/Indigenous residents and families hard-hit by job loss, food insecurity, lack of access to social services, and federal anti-immigration provisions. The Co-op is matching donations made starting May 1 through 31 up to a maximum of $5,000 donated. For more information, see reapfoodgroup.org/farms-to-families
This time urges us to go back to our roots, before we made assumptions that any food we wanted would always be available. Just as we hold our friends and family close (through video chat) and look out for the neighbors we previously considered acquaintances, the same goes for our farmers. When we feel nearly powerless to stop this health, economic, and emotional crisis, it is vital to realize that we can have an important impact. We can strengthen our local networks of food growers, producers, and distributors—not only to serve our immediate needs while we tread water, but also to prepare us for life moving forward, with or without a global pandemic.