Press Herald speaks with Handley, Lilley about uncertainty for farmers during COVID-19 pandemic
The Portland Press Herald spoke with Jason Lilley, a sustainable agriculture professional, and David Handley, a small fruit and vegetable specialist, both with University of Maine Cooperative Extension, for the article “Already in an unpredictable business, farmers face more uncertainties than ever.” Farmers have to contend with a whole new set of challenges amid the coronavirus pandemic, in addition to the ones that accompany normal growing seasons. In the first two weeks of the pandemic, the Beginning Farmer Resource Network of Maine surveyed farmers about its effects, the Press Herald reported. The survey included a question asking farmers what they are concerned about. “It was everything,” said Lilley. “The complete lack of certainty about anything.” But small farms are seeing a surge in demand through distribution methods such as farm stands, CSAs and farmers markets that have been adapted to comply with social distancing measures. “Customers have so far been overwhelmingly supportive of their local farms and farmers,” said Handley. With the typical boom of seedling sales in mid-May approaching, UMaine Extension has put together fact sheets to help farmers “think through how they can lay out seedlings to keep people safe,” Lilley said. Overall, Maine farmers are facing the challenges of the pandemic with “innovation and grim determination,” said Handley.