The Senate passed a resolution recognizing October as California Farmer and Farmworker Month in perpetuity, calling on all Californians and visitors to urgently support those who’ve worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to protect our food supply—which is still at risk—by buying California grown farm products such as produce, dairy, meat, wine and flowers.
Since California plays a big role in the nation’s food supply and economy—supporting 1.2 million jobs, producing over 400 crops and roughly 50 percent of U.S. produce overall—California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross also urges people outside the state to support farmers and farmworkers by choosing California grown products when shopping in stores or online.
“California Farmer and Farmworker Month is an important time to share our gratitude for the commitment of our agriculture community, which came together early in the pandemic to secure a safe, nutritious food supply,” Ross said. “Consumers can take great pride in the high quality of CA GROWN products and how they are grown, reflecting California values for farmworker protections, environmental stewardship, and knowing there is a place for all in California agriculture.”
While farmers and farmworkers kept people nourished during the pandemic, their farms and jobs suffered greatly due to hospitality industry closures and restrictions. At the same time, millions of residents lost their jobs and relied increasingly on food banks, which farms contributed to significantly more than ever more during COVID-19 and still are. In a normal year, farmers donate over 160 million pounds of nutritious food, providing meals to the most vulnerable portion of the state’s population.
Karla Stockli, Chairperson of CA Grown and CEO of the California Fig Advisory Board, echoed Secretary Ross’s comments, urging residents and businesses to help farmers and farmworkers recover and continue sustaining our economy and wellbeing by buying California grown products.
“It’s important for consumers to understand the work that goes into producing food, and how important the agricultural community is in their day-to-day lives,” said Stockli. “That’s why California Farmer + Farmworker Month was created, to help connect consumers with the people who produce their food, and the effort and thought that goes into it, so they can support them.”
To help Californians do just that, CA Grown has created a free How to Support California Farmers resource webpage with tools such as:
- How to tell if your fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, wine and nursery items are from California when shopping in the store or online.
- Seasonal guide to California grown products.
- Seasonal food and wine recipes.
- Profiles and videos of farmers and farmworkers.
- Coloring sheet for kids.
- Link to blog with expert culinary guests sharing tips and insights.
Consumers are encouraged to use #CAGROWN in their social media posts and say “It’s California Farmer and Farmworker Month” to help spread awareness.
To learn more about what you can do to support California farmers, visit https://californiagrown.org/farmer-farm-worker-month.
