Pandemic Ag Reaction Pt 2
I’m Bob Larson. For all the negative 2020 brought, it could have been much worse in ag if not for the hard work of the Farm Bill Alliance. At last week’s virtual Potato Expo, members talked about the importance of helping growers survive.United Fresh Produce CEO, Tom Stenzel says they brought their message and the data to the table …
STENZEL … “It’s been in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), direct payments to growers. It’s been in the Farmers to Families Food Box Program, so there’ve been a lot of different ways that funding has come in. It’s not everything we need, but it was quite a testament to how the industry can work together under a crisis.”
Out of necessity, National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles says that message spread rapidly and everywhere …
QUARLES … “That collaboration, it was extremely gratifying. To me, to be able to go in an office in Washington state or Idaho or North Dakota and have the exact same message that was occurring in California or Florida or anywhere else across the country, it was particularly powerful.”
Quarles says it was impressive …
QUARLES … “The Farm Bill Alliance, having that common message in every office time, and time, and time again, and with all our key places in the Administration, all of those key appointees, that really carried the day.”
Quarles says the effort brought hundreds of millions in pandemic relief, ag worker reform, additional export markets, and historic federal potato purchases.