Trust in Farmers increases During the Pandemic

Tim Hammerich

News Reporter

Here is a roundup of important stories from throughout the Golden State, courtesy of the California Farm Bureau Federation.

Trust in American farmers has increased during the pandemic, according to survey results released by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The nationwide survey showed nearly nine in 10 respondents trust farmers, up 4% from a survey taken earlier in the year. The survey also gauged Americans’ attitudes about agricultural sustainability practices, and found nearly 60% rated farmers’ practices positively.

Virtual events and e-commerce have become more important to wineries during the pandemic, and agricultural business experts say wineries have been working to transition their marketing plans. One analyst says smaller wineries have been especially hurt, but even larger operations have struggled to maintain profits. Another expert says wineries have made much greater use of social media offerings such as live online events, chat tools and instant messaging.

California companies have earned grants to explore aspects of wildfire prevention and safety. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the grants. A company in Torrance will test small, automated fire weather observation sensors. A Riverside company will produce synthetic insect pheromones to protect trees from beetles. A firm in Newark is working on small, low-cost gas sensors intended to help protect wildland firefighters.

(Source: California Farm Bureau Federation)