November 9, 2021
Webinar: COVID-19 Impacts on Food Supply Chains and Consumers
Lessons from COVID-19: Positioning Regional Food Supply Chains for Future Pandemics, Natural Disasters, and Human-made Crises presents a new virtual webinar opportunity on November 18, 2021, at 1 p.m. CT, 2 p.m. ET, 11 a.m. PT, where researchers will discuss data related to the impacts of COVID-19 on food supply chains and consumers.
This webinar, 3rd in a series of 4 for the project, will focus on findings from the consumer survey which explored ways in which consumers interacted with the food supply chain during COVID-19. The survey specifically examined consumers’ food-related preferences, roles, and behaviors. Researchers will be sharing preliminary findings from this survey and offering insights on how to prepare for future pandemic events. The webinar will also briefly highlight all other portions of the project. Previous webinars are archived at the link below.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains, compromising core functions of providing safe and appropriate food to people and distressing the livelihoods of individuals and businesses. Researchers are exploring the extent to which regional food systems can effectively augment mainstream supply chains to meet the nation’s food needs, with a focus on ensuring the economic security of our small-scale operations. Researchers are seeking to generate knowledge and resources to enhance the preparedness of the U.S. agrifood supply chains for future disruptions.
“This project has been a great way to bring together researchers from universities across the United States,” said Cheryl Boyer, associate professor of Horticulture at Kansas State University. “This type of interdisciplinary research has allowed us to better assess the perceptions and needs of producers in the U.S.”
To register for this webinar, visit https://ruralengagement.org/events/lessons-from-covid-19positioning-regional-food-supply-chains-for-future-pandemics-natural-disasters-and-human-made-crises/.
To learn more about this research effort, visit https://ruralengagement.org/lessons-from-covid-19-toolkit/.
Lessons from COVID-19: Positioning Regional Food Supply Chains for Future Pandemics, Natural Disasters, and Human-made Crises is one of 17 projects nationwide to receive funding through a new program area of the USDA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, targeting rapid response solutions to the pandemic through applied research, education and extension activities.