Industry associations have presented to the U.S. Department of Agriculture what is being called a Produce Market Stabilization Program to help produce operators survive the COVID-19 pandemic.
Suffering millions in lost farm sales because of COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants since mid-March, some Florida growers are now selling some of their crops directly to consumers.
The U.S. Apple Association, the Northwest Horticultural Council and other organizations have asked Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to consider the needs of tree fruit growers when allocating funds from the CARES Act.
Twenty-nine U.S. senators have asked Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to directly pay specialty crop growers and to immediately increase purchases of fresh produce for food banks and federal feeding programs.
