One lawmaker wants an ag expert on the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
U.S. Representative Josh Harder, a Democrat from California, recently penned a letter to the Trump administration asking that the task force include someone who can represent agriculture.
Specifically, Harder says appointing a member that can “knowledgeably advocate on behalf of our producers, consumers and distributors” will ensure families have access to the food they need during the pandemic.
The letter states farmers are already seeing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including volatile markets, and losing the certainty of a healthy workforce, along with potential shortages of personal protective equipment.
Representative Harder’s office has heard concerns from agriculture about the availability of masks and gloves for workers as well as the availability of migrant labor.
Harder says he has also heard from consumers concerned about bare shelves at supermarkets.
Having an agriculture representative on the task force, Harder says, “will help to ensure all these concerns are addressed.”
