(Updated April 3, 2020)
March 24, 2020 
Note: See the previous CAST blog post from March 19 for online learning resources. 

CAST’s mission focuses on providing balanced, credible science-based information about food and agriculture. With the current COVID-19 situation, we will use this space to provide regular updates on news, announcements, and pertinent educational resource material related to agriculture, science, our members, and CAST activities. 

COVID-19’s Impacts on the U.S. Food System 

Tremendous changes have been enforced or encouraged through many regions of the United States, all in an effort to quell the forecasted spike in COVID-19 cases. As we move forward with practices to achieve this goal, questions about food supply and safety have risen.   

Below, we’ve collected information and resources that relate to COVID-19’s influence on the food industry. 

How Much Food Do We Have? 

• PBS News Hour covered the reason behind the sparse shelves at supermarkets across the nation, and it isn’t because the United States is running out of food. According to the president of the National Grocers Association, it’s just taking a little longer to restock. 
• USDA Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue put out a video message to help alleviate worries about the nation’s food supply. 
• Here is one more take on the sparse shelves at the store.
• In some areas, the top food items in demand are milk, eggs, and meat. “The retail store is like the week of Christmas that will not end.” 
• Can’t find top-demand items in stores? Look to local farmers, says this Michigan news source. 
• Other items, such as Takis and Hawaiian pizza were left on the shelf at some stores—and some took the opportunity to poke fun at it on social media.
• And if you are worried about getting sick from touching products at the grocery store, North Carolina State University wants you to know you have a pretty low chance of contracting the illness. Still, washing your hands is always recommended.  
• Check out this link for regular updates from the food industry’s reactions to COVID-19.
• (Video) If you don’t want to go out for groceries, this video will show you how to plant 8 fast-growing vegetables.

Food Delivery Safety 

• In some areas, food deliveries from restaurants are picking up. 
• Delivery services like Uber Eats announced they are making deliveries safer for the driver and customers. 
• North Carolina State University says choosing to order take-out or ordering through a drive-thru are two “good risk management choices” –in other words, they’re pretty safe ways to get food.   
• This video from a local ABC news station provides tips from an infectious disease expert and more information about what DoorDash and other delivery services are doing to keep their drivers safe and healthy. 
• Here is another take on takeout food safety from a UC-David virologist.
• Cornell University created resources for the food industry that adapt to the current pandemic. 

Additional News 

• The FDA also answers questions to ensure the safety of essential food workers during the pandemic. 
• As an example of university food programs, a group at the University of Nebraska-Kearney is providing free necessities to students, staff, and faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic  
• Mississippi State University’s Extension Service says freezing food items like meat is a great way to keep perishable items for longer periods of time. 

Free CAST Material 
CAST is investigating ways to provide study guides for the publications it will release during the next months. In the meantime, check out our current free resources below: 
– Videos on YouTube from graduate students and previous paper talks that cover a variety of plant, animal, and food topics 
– Full publications and summaries that are free to access and download 

The first paper looks at the challenges of attracting and retaining veterinarians for rural areas. On April 7 at 12 p.m., CAST will host a webinar highlighting our new paper, Impact of Recruitment and Retention of Food Animal Veterinarians on the U.S. Food Supply. The webinar is open and free to anyone who would like to join. 

Check our blog for regular updates and a list of resources (from CAST and its members) regarding education in this time of online connections. CAST also is communicating through its social media pages and its regular Friday Notes newsletter. 

You can also stay updated on CAST events by joining our mailing list.

Photo by Matheus Cenali from Pexels