One of the biggest lessons of the pandemic was the fragile nature of our food system and the need for local resilience. But with the latest data showing local farms disappearing at an alarming rate, and growing questions about the future viability of farming in Washington due to increasing regulatory burdens and skyrocketing costs, have we already forgotten the lesson?
During Covid-19, it was a shock to see empty shelves and signs limiting essentials like milk to one gallon per customer. Grocery stores typically have only about three days’ worth of supplies under normal conditions. Disrupt the food supply chain significantly, and as the saying goes, we are just three days away from anarchy.
At the same time, Americans have been importing more and more of their food. According to the FDA, 70% of seafood comes from foreign producers, and the USDA reports that over 60% of our fresh fruit and nearly 40% of our fresh vegetables come from abroad. The pandemic showed how risky this dependence is.
While we enjoy the benefits of a vast national and global trade and transportation system today, it’s this very system that could lead to food shortages in our local stores during a global crisis. If stores are unable to get the necessary supply of food, and local food producers are no longer around because they have been regulated to death, the public will be out of options. Chaos would ensue across our communities in just a few days’ time.
The solution is clear and urgent: we must do more to protect our local food growers. Local food not only reduces environmental impacts from transportation but also provides a higher level of food security. That’s why the very real crisis of losing family farms should concern everyone – public officials, voters, and food consumers alike.
A recent Seattle Times guest editorial highlighted the crisis facing Washington farms. In the piece titled “WA is Losing Farms and Food Producing Lands. Does Anyone Care?” Pam Lewison of the Washington Policy Center noted that in the past five years, Washington has lost double the number of farms compared to the previous decade – over 3,700 farms in five years, or about 14 farms per week. Add to that the loss of over 100,000 acres of productive farmland.
Washington’s family farmers are some of the best in the nation, producing exceptional quality fruit, dairy, vegetables, and more. Unfortunately, many of these farm losses are due to well-intentioned laws and policies. These policies often increase labor costs, reduce or eliminate access to water, and convert farmland to habitat, showing a profound lack of understanding of the realities of farming. Farms contribute not only to our food security but also to environmental benefits like clean water and fish habitats.
Forced consolidation into larger farms or converting land for development are often the only options left for farmers squeezed out by these policies. Save Family Farming recently produced a mini-documentary called “Losing the Farm,” highlighting the emotional impact on a third-generation family potato farm in Whatcom County. They talked about how rising fuel and labor costs, overtime pay requirements, and water rights issues made it impossible for them to keep their farming legacy going. The documentary went viral, with over half a million viewers, raising awareness about the “losing the farm” crisis.
Covid-19 might be behind us, but we cannot afford to forget the lessons it taught us. An academic paper titled “Impact of Covid-19 on the Food Supply Chain,” published in December 2020, pointed out:
“Consumers generally do not think much about how the food on their tables is produced. However, concerns about food safety in the midst of the global pandemic have drawn attention to the enormous infrastructure and workforce responsible for creating a safe and reliable food supply worldwide.”
In her editorial, Lewison asks, “Does anyone care?” Many people do care, as polls show, but they might not realize that policies meant to help can actually hurt farms and farmworkers. Lessons from events like the pandemic are often quickly forgotten.
While our state’s farmers are determined to keep producing great produce and products for our communities, we all need to remember the food insecurity we briefly experienced and act to prevent it in the future. We need to support our family farmers and promote more local food distribution.
“Three days away from anarchy” is more than just a scary slogan. It’s a real threat, and we need to act now to prevent it.
