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As During COVID, Many Turn to Local Farmers... But They Need Ongoing Support
During the COVID crisis, the industrial food system's supply chains faltered badly, prompting a large number of consumers to turn to local farmers for their food staples. This has resulted in lasting gains for local food communities, as more people became aware of the benefits of locally farmed food in creating a healthier, more sustainable, more humane and fairer food systems.
Yet at the same time, many other consumers returned to their conventional shopping habits as supplies rose and prices fell, in some cases leaving local farmers with surpluses as they had adjusted to meet new demand.
We are entering another cycle in which local farmers are on the spot to come to the rescue of consumers as food staples — led by eggs — are in shorter supply. The egg crisis is largely the result of an avian flu epidemic that has caused the deaths of millions of laying hens; while some smaller farms have been affected, this is hitting hardest in the "factory farm" sector, where birds are packed into confined facilities.
An even greater threat looms in the prospect that the new administration in Washington will carry out its stated plans to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. This has (finally) shone a light on how much of our food agriculture is carried out by immigrants, many of them undocumented — and how the removal of this workforce could result in severe food shortages in the United States.
This is all preface to an important message shared on social media this morning by Tulip Tree Gardens of Beecher, Illinois. Owners Rachael and Jesse Smedberg are leaders in the Chicago region's regenerative agriculture movement; they also own Village Farmstand, an e-commerce business based in suburban Evanston that aggregates and sells products from a wide range of local producers.
Please read and share their thoughts about the need to support local farmers, in bad times and good.
As we witness a significant decline in egg supplies at grocery stores, prices have surged dramatically. This trend has prompted an increasing number of consumers to turn to local family farms in search of eggs.
We observed a similar pattern during the pandemic, when many farmers across the nation made substantial investments in infrastructure to accommodate the rising demand. However, once grocery store egg availability improved and prices decreased, consumers reverted to purchasing commodity eggs, leaving farmers with excess capacity and unfulfilled expectations.
Now, we find ourselves in a similar situation, and it is concerning to see a frantic rush towards farmers for eggs, especially when they become scarce in stores, or when farm-fresh, pasture-raised eggs are priced lower than their grocery store counterparts.
This serves as a crucial reminder to consistently support local farmers, both in prosperous times and in challenging ones. Our large-scale agricultural system is fragile, and it is essential that we foster a culture of local support continuously, enabling farmers to feel secure in making long-term investments.
Be patient with us as we work on sourcing and producing more eggs on farm to meet the growing demand.