Telefarming: When Push Comes to Shelve in Responding to COVID-19

Abstract

First paragraphs: COVID-19 has introduced new ways of com­plet­ing jobs virtually. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 22 million Americans filed for unemployment through mid- April 2020 (Long, 2020). Approximately 747,000 citizens in North Carolina alone have been forced out of work due to social distancing requirements (Chiwaya & Wu, 2020). While some workers have been able to con­tinue working at home or be compen­sated during the pandemic, such as many faculty and staff working for schools, it has been devastating for small business owners, including farmers, to handle the pressure and stress. During this crucial time, workers must think critically and creatively to fulfill necessary tasks. However, one job, in particular, has been deemed to be essential to our daily life and one of the most critical roles in the country: work in agricul­tural and food industries. The most recent U.S. Depart­ment of Agriculture farm labor report (USDA Economic Research Service, 2020) indi­cates that hired farmworkers represent less than 1 percent of all U.S. wage and salary employees. How­ever, hired farmworkers contribute to a variety of jobs beyond working in the field or nursery. They contribute to the food system from production to the supply chain—performing inspections and working in testing labs, certification programs, educational programs, and customer services. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on agriculture and food security. The challenge of feeding people well while maintain­ing safety has become a major issue. Devel­oped by my supervisor and me (Salina) is the work of telefarming, an old trade mixed with modern com­munication that can assist those who want to grow produce but may not have much experience in farming. . . . See the press release for this article.