Micheal Clements, NAFB News Service

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin wants the federal government to support farmers during the global COVID-19 pandemic through block grants. The Wisconsin Democrat is calling for the federal government to quickly direct resources to states and local communities so they can work with food and agriculture stakeholders to stabilize the food supply chain, address serious threats to worker safety, and avoid severe economic losses in rural Wisconsin. Baldwin is urging the administration to create Food and Agriculture Emergency Block Grants for States to help agriculture and food processing businesses solve coronavirus-related challenges. Specifically, Baldwin notes the emergency funding would help businesses reprocess food-service scale products to family-sized packages, connect businesses with new customers, prevent the waste of food, address shifting workforce needs, ensure workers have safety protections, and respond to changing consumer demand during this public health crisis. Baldwin writes, “The economic losses predicted from these impacts are staggering, and if we respond rapidly, we can help to reduce the worst losses.”