Free Commentary: Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Food and Agricultural Markets

 This paper examines the many economic factors and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on the agriculture sector. In efforts to slow down the spread of COVID-19, many states and countries shut down several economic areas such as tourism and entertainment venues, restaurants, personal services, and some manufacturing facilities. This has led many areas into a recession. The authors of this paper examine the effects this recession has on these topics: macroeconomics; trade; supply chain; consumer behavior; food service/grocery; meat processing; forestry and wood products; local food systems; food waste; food insecurity; major commodity crops; agricultural finance; agricultural labor; rural health care; and research and outreach priorities.

Co-chairs: Jayson Lusk, Purdue University and John D. Anderson, University of Arkansas

QTA2020-3, 44 pp., June 2020, Available free online.

https://www.cast-science.org/publication/economic-impacts-of-covid-19-on-food-and-agricultural-markets/