The impact of COVID-19 on local government stakeholders' perspectives on local food production

Abstract

Local food production (LFP) can play an impor­tant role in ensuring access to food during supply chain disruptions. Because the drafting, adoption, and implementation of policies regulating LFP is under the purview of local governments in many U.S. states, researchers at University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Exten­sion conducted a study to assess whether COVID-19 affected local government stakeholders’ (LGS) (N=92) perspectives on LFP and the role that LFP can play in responding to public health emergen­cies. LGS who oversee the drafting, adoption, and implementation of LFP policies include staff responsible for code enforcement, sustainability initiatives, and planning, as well as elected and ap­pointed leaders, such as mayors, city and county managers, and city and county commissioners. The survey assessed LGS’ attitudes and knowledge about LFP. The survey also asked LGS about their perceptions and awareness of LFP in their commu­nities, including their perceptions of the benefits of and barriers to LFP and the ways in which LFP producers were using the food they produced. Sur­vey questions also focused specifically on COVID-19 and the role of LFP in public health emergen­cies. In particular, survey questions asked whether LGS perceived a change in their own attitudes, knowledge, and perspectives; whether there had been a change in the LFP activi­ties in their communities following COVID-19; and what they thought the role of LFP was in responding to public health emergencies. Direct comparisons of LGS who responded to a 2019 survey (N=43) were assessed for statistically sig­nificant changes in overall attitudes, knowledge, or perceived benefits of LFP following COVID-19. This study found that LGS have generally positive attitudes and perceptions of benefits of LFP, including its role in public health emergencies, but have limited knowledge about LFP or awareness of barriers to its implementation. The results of this study indicate that LGS understand the potential benefits of LFP in public health emergencies but would benefit from information and training to support the development of policies and programs in their communities.

Local practices and production confer resilience to rural Pacific food systems during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Despite the cultural rootedness of the principles of intra-community solidarity, reciprocity, and collective support (e.g., [76] ), Schwarz et al [78] found that monetization of inter-household exchanges, alongside the relatively new values associated with modernity and democracy, “gradually erode the collective nature of the traditional social system.” Dacks et al [27] similarly found that higher market integration resulted in weaker sharing networks. A recent investigation with small-scale fishing communities in Indonesia suggests that market integration also directly increases fishers’ vulnerability to the shocks associated with COVID-19 [101] . Steenbergen et al [81] noted that the increased transition to cash-based economies in villages in Vanuatu exacerbated vulnerability to the shocks associated with COVID-19.…”

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global health and economic crisis that has highlighted the fragility of globalized food systems to external shocks ( [13] , [56] , [62] , [101] ). In the context of fisheries, border closures and social distancing measures led to the closure of ports and the vast reduction of shipping and air freight [69] , as well as reduced access to urban markets [13] .…”

A Regional Imperative: The Case for Regional Food Systems

“…These knowledge gaps have been exposed by "previously unimaginable disruptions in the food supply chain" (Nayga & Zilberman, 2020, p. 34). Campbell (2021) discussed how COVID-19 affected local government perceptions of local food systems and their role in public health emergencies-a worthy endeavor but a missed opportunity to acknowledge and investigate regional food systems.…”

Information sources utilized by Vermont foodservice businesses during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Businesses also contributed to each other's survival, as interviewees reported that the continued operation of their foodservice businesses had effects up and down the supply chain, supporting farmers and meeting the evolving needs of consumers. These collaborative and community-based support networks, both state-sponsored and independent, might be useful models for other states, as referenced by Campbell (2021) and Ammons et al (2021). Some businesses appointed heads of health and safety to monitor information sources and create and manage operating procedures based on evolving health guidance.…”