The American Farm Bureau has released its first assessment of the impact on farmers and ranchers in the wake of the national mitigation efforts to combat COVID-19.
In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, AFBF President Zippy Duvall pledged, “America’s farmers and ranchers will be with you every step of the way.”
The letter, which will be updated as new issues materialize, outlines concerns from Farm Bureau members across the country.
Those concerns include H-2A labor issues, with the State Department’s announcement to suspend all processing of new, non-emergency visa applications in Mexico, U.S. farms and ranches could face a serious labor shortage at a critical time for planting and harvesting crops essential to the domestic food supply.
Additionally, AFBF noted supply chain concerns and market concerns.
Duvall noted concerns from livestock producers regarding market manipulation and urged USDA to monitor the situation to protect ranchers and consumers alike from price manipulation.
