Potential Impacts of a Pandemic on the US Farm Labor Market

Charlton, Diane; Castillo, Marcelo

doi:10.1002/aepp.13105

Cited by 40 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 11 publications

(16 reference statements)

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“…In fact, the rate of growth in certifications from 2019 to 2020 (4.2%) was nearly identical to the growth rate in the previous period (2019–2018, 4.3%). If the U.S. fruit and vegetable sector is indeed as reliant on H‐2A workers as the literature suggests (Charlton & Castillo, 2020), our data show that guest worker employment in the fruit and vegetable sector does not appear to have been constrained by the COVID‐19 pandemic.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 58%

“…Second, as the disease spread among undocumented workers, many were either unable to access medical services, or were isolated from their own support systems out of a sense of protecting others around them (Martin, 2020). Third, as in the welldocumented case of slaughter-house workers in the Midwest United States (Taylor et al, 2020), COVID-19 cases spread quickly among workers living in group housing facilities in southern California (Beatty et al, 2020;Charlton & Castillo, 2020;Fielding-Miller et al, 2020;Neef, 2020). Although fruit and vegetable work generally takes place outside, exposures can occur in housing, transport, mealtime, and in transition between the field and packing plant.…”

Section: Labor Markets In the United Statesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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COVID‐19 impact on fruit and vegetable markets: One year later

Chenarides

Richards

Rickard

2021

Canadian J Agri Economics

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More than 1 year after the outbreak of COVID-19, Canadian fruit and vegetable markets continue to adjust to the evolving landscape. In this article, we focus on three key measures of input and output market performance that serve as indicators of the stability of fruit and vegetable markets in Canada in the mediumterm, and offer some insight for how these markets will continue to adjust in the longer run. Specifically, we use data to highlight the most recent trends in (1) the production and aggregate movement for major fruit and vegetable crops in the United States and Canada, (2) labor supply and immigration visa patterns, and (3) U.S.-Canada trade patterns for fruits and vegetables. We provide evidence that the fresh produce supply chain in Canada, and for markets in their largest trade partner in the United States, has remained relatively robust. K E Y W O R D SCOVID-19, fruit and vegetables, supply chains, international trade RésuméPlus d'un an après l'éclosion du COVID-19, les marchés canadiens des fruits et légumes continuent de s'adapter à l'évolution du paysage. Dans cet article, nous nous concentrons sur trois mesures clés de la performance des marchés des intrants et des extrants qui servent d'indicateurs de la stabilité des marchés des fruits et légumes au Canada à moyen terme, et nous offrons un aperçu de la façon dont ces marchés continueront de s'ajuster dans le plus long terme. Plus précisément, nous utilisons des données pour mettre en évidence les tendances les plus récentes dans (i) la production et le mouvement global des principales cultures de fruits et légumes aux États-Unis et au Canada, (ii) l'offre de main-d'.uvre et les modèles de visa d'immigration, et (iii) États-Unis-Canada les tendances du commerce des fruits et légumes. Nous prouvons que la chaîne d'approvisionnement des produits frais au Canada et pour les marchés de leur principal partenaire commercial aux États-Unis est restée relativement solide.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 58%

Section: Labor Markets In the United Statesmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID‐19 impact on fruit and vegetable markets: One year later

Chenarides

Richards

Rickard

2021

Canadian J Agri Economics

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“…In addition to the direct effect of COVID-19 on agricultural workers, policy and overall economic conditions have affected the supply of migrant agricultural workers. Unemployment rates, which spiked in the wake of COVID-19, affect the demand for migrant labor; the number of H-2A visas issued, which are utilized by migrant agricultural workers, was 4.4% lower April through July 2020 relative to the same time in 2019 [ 15 ]. The reductions in migrant labor and other agricultural labor have the potential to adversely affect food supply.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Farmer and farm worker illnesses and deaths from COVID-19 and impacts on agricultural output

Lusk

Chandra

2021

PLoS ONE

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Farmers and farm workers are critical to the secure supply of food, yet this population is potentially at high risk to acquire COVID-19. This study estimates the prevalence of COVID-19 among farmers and farmworkers in the United States by coupling county-level data on the number of farm workers relative to the general population with data on confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths. In the 13 month period since the start of the pandemic (from March 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021), the estimated cumulative number of COVID-19 cases (deaths) was 329,031 (6,166) among agricultural producers, 170,137 (2,969) among hired agricultural workers, 202,902 (3,812) among unpaid agricultural workers, and 27,223 (459) among migrant agricultural workers. The cases amount to 9.55%, 9.31%, 9.39%, and 9.01% of all U.S. agricultural producers, hired workers, unpaid workers, and migrant workers, respectively. The COVID-19 incidence rate is significantly higher in counties with more agricultural workers; a 1% increase in the number of hired agricultural workers in a county is associated with a 0.04% increase in the number of COVID-19 cases per person and 0.07% increase in deaths per person. Although estimated new cases among farm workers exhibit similar trends to that of the general population, the correlation between the two is sometimes negative, highlighting the need to monitor this particular population that tends to live in more rural areas. Reduction in labor availability from COVID-19 is estimated to reduce U.S. agricultural output by about $309 million.

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“…Interest in farm automation and robotics has been renewed by the farm labour shortages in Europe and North America during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 (e.g. Charlton and Castillo 2021). Economic feasibility is key to achieving the social and environmental benefits of robotic and autonomous agriculture such as: reduction in human drudgery; alternatives to chemical pest control, reducing soil compaction and farming small irregularly shaped fields (Duckett et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Economics of autonomous equipment for arable farms

et al. 2021

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By collecting more data at a higher resolution and by creating the capacity to implement detailed crop management, autonomous crop equipment has the potential to revolutionise precision agriculture (PA), but unless farmers find autonomous equipment profitable it is unlikely to be widely adopted. The objective of this study was to identify the potential economic implications of autonomous crop equipment for arable agriculture using a grain-oilseed farm in the United Kingdom as an example. The study is possible because the Hands Free Hectare (HFH) demonstration project at Harper Adams University has produced grain with autonomous equipment since 2017. That practical experience showed the technical feasibility of autonomous grain production and provides parameters for farm-level linear programming (LP) to estimate farm management opportunities when autonomous equipment is available. The study shows that arable crop production with autonomous equipment is technically and economically feasible, allowing medium size farms to approach minimum per unit production cost levels. The ability to achieve minimum production costs at relatively modest farm size means that the pressure to “get big or get out” will diminish. Costs of production that are internationally competitive will mean reduced need for government subsidies and greater independence for farmers. The ability of autonomous equipment to achieve minimum production costs even on small, irregularly shaped fields will improve environmental performance of crop agriculture by reducing pressure to remove hedges, fell infield trees and enlarge fields.

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Potential Impacts of a Pandemic on the US Farm Labor Market

Cited by 40 publications

References 11 publications

COVID‐19 impact on fruit and vegetable markets: One year later

COVID‐19 impact on fruit and vegetable markets: One year later

Farmer and farm worker illnesses and deaths from COVID-19 and impacts on agricultural output

Economics of autonomous equipment for arable farms

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