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

Henry Blair,Naomi Cunningham,David Conner,Jessica Krueger,Claire Whitehouse

doi:10.5304/jafscd.2021.104.011

Abstract

Our research team interviewed owners or managers (n =10) of commercial (restaurants, caterers, food hubs) and institutional (schools, hospitals) foodservice businesses in Vermont in the summer and fall of 2020 to gather information about their experiences and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article discusses the information sources they utilized to make decisions about operating procedures and business strategies as the pandemic unfolded. Though this is not a comparative analysis to other states, Vermont had strong networks and support systems in place before the onset of COVID-19 that were poised to respond quickly as events unfolded. In addition, these interviews highlighted the importance of both formal and informal information sources, which filled different niches in the information ecosystem.

Highlights

Interviewees identified the following information sources and networks as essential to their planning and decision-making at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic: Vermont Governor Phil Scott’s press briefings; Vermont Department of Health briefings; industry calls coordinated by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund and Farm-to-Plate Network (VSJF/F2P); calls organized by the Vermont Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for program alumni; the Vermont Food Hub Collaborative; information and outreach produced by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and by University of Vermont Extension; guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and press briefings from the White House Coronavirus Task Force
Some businesses appointed heads of health and safety to monitor information sources and create and manage operating procedures based on evolving health guidance
Vermont’s collaborative and supportive landscape allowed for flexibility, adaptability, and resilience in the face of a significant system shock

Summary

Introduction

Keywords COVID-19, Foodservice, Food Systems, Resilience, Information, Pandemic, Adaptability Information Sources and Networks Vermont commercial and institutional foodservice operations utilized many information sources in the spring of 2020, during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

Conclusion