C.O farmers could soon see major COVID-19 impacts
With restaurants only serving takeout and farmers markets postponed, farmers could miss out on a big portion of their sales
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Farmers plant a certain amount of crops based on seasonal predictions. But when COVID-19 started shutting everything down, those predictions went out the window.
Farmers' markets have been postponed, while restaurant sales fall as they only serve takeout, lowering the demand for locally sourced produce.
Benji Nagel runs Mahonia Gardens in Sisters. He's one of many farmers that could see a loss of business if restaurant restrictions continue. Restaurants make up about 15% of Nagel's business.
"It's just hard to tell if any restaurants are going to open at all this summer," Nagel said Thursday. "(And whether) they are going to see the same kind of business and the same kind of demand and be able to source any. ... produce from us."
Nagel's farm grows common vegetables like arugula, kale and tomatoes. He's confident the season could turn around near the end of summer.
The High Desert Food and Farm Alliance, a non-profit that works with Nagel and other local farmers, said it could be a little early to tell just how the farm industry will be affected.
Every summer, it collects about 15,000 pounds of produce and donates it to local food banks. Depending on the demand for local produce, the nonprofit could end up with a lot more food to donate -- or a lot less.
"It could go both ways," said Kristin Van Dis, the executive director for HDFFA. "It could be a shortage, or we could have more, because farmers planted and they don't have a place to sell their crops, so maybe their crops lay fallow because they don't have a market for them. So it could go either way."
The Bend Farmers Market, a hot spot for Central Oregon farmers, typically starts the first week of May but has been postponed to June.
Nagel expects to see most of his business through community supported agriculture subscription boxes. A subscription service where local farms hand deliver fresh vegetables to your doorstep weekly. If your'e interested in finding out how you can support local farms through a subscription service, you can find more information through the Local Harvest website.
