The staggering number of food and farmworkers who have died from Covid-19 should be reminder enough that food and farm issues are on the ballot next week.
But there are many other critical food and farm issues that hang in the balance.
Hunger. As a result of the pandemic, millions more are facing hunger, including one in five children. The next Administration will decide whether to expand the standard benefit for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or reduce the number of people who are eligible for SNAP, the nation’s primary anti-hunger assistance program.
Nutrition. Poor diet is now the nation’s leading cause of death, and obesity rates continue to climb, increasing health care costs. The next Administration will decide whether to strengthen or weaken school meal standards and whether to build upon efforts to improve food labels to make healthy choices easier.
Food Safety. One in six Americans is sickened by foodborne illness, and contaminated food kills more than 3,000 people a year. A recent audit shows that no progress is being made to reduce foodborne illness. The next Administration will decide whether to increase or decrease food safety inspections and line speeds in food processing facilities.
Worker Safety. At least 70,000 food and farm workers have gotten Covid-19, and at least 300 have died. The next Administration will decide whether or not to issue emergency standards employers must meet and whether to provide workers with basic protective equipment.
Farm Income. A record number of farms are going bankrupt. The next Administration will decide whether to ensure that farm subsidies continue to favor the wealthiest farmers at the expense of family farms and whether farms will get a fair price for their products.
