Pandemic Produce: Impacts of COVID-19 on Florida's Fruit and Vegetable Industries

Authors

Christa D. Court, University of Florida
David Outerbridge, University of Florida
Lauri Baker, University of Florida
Laura Birou, The University Of Michigan
Catherine Campbell, University of Florida
Gigi Digiacomo, University of Minnesota
Sebastian Galindo, University of Florida
John Lai, University of Florida
Alexandre Magnier, Florida Gulf Coast University
Michelle Miller, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Gustavo De L.T. Oliveira, Clark University
Eyrika Orlando, University of Florida
Hikaru Hanawa Peterson, University of Minnesota St. Paul
Xiaohui Qiao, University of Florida
Fritz Roka, Florida Gulf Coast University
Andrew Ropicki, University of Florida
Bijeta Bijen Saha, University of Florida
Andrew W. Stevens, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Li Zhang, Amherst College

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Florida has one of the most diverse agricultural economies in the United States, producing several dozen types of fruits and vegetables that are consumed within the state, across the country, and around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting policy responses occurred during the peak of spring harvest season for many crops in Florida, abruptly removing market demand from the food service industry and shifting consumer purchasing habits, which enabled insights into several aspects of the fruit and vegetable supply chain. This article examines how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted fruit and vegetable industries in Florida, how these industries responded to COVID-19 impacts, and how Florida's experience compared to that of other states. Data are derived from several sources including a statewide survey that measured agricultural production losses in Florida resulting from COVID-19 in early 2020, interviews with Florida operations that provided insights into how the pandemic induced change across the food supply chain, and a survey of food supply chain operations in three regions of the United States conducted in 2021. © 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.

Publication Title

Journal of Agricultural and Food Industrial Organization

Publication Date

5-1-2023

Volume

21

Issue

1

First Page

69

Last Page

88

ISSN

1542-0485

DOI

10.1515/jafio-2022-0025

Keywords

COVID-19, economic impacts, fruits and vegetables

Repository Citation

Court, Christa D.; Outerbridge, David; Baker, Lauri; Birou, Laura; Campbell, Catherine; Digiacomo, Gigi; Galindo, Sebastian; Lai, John; Magnier, Alexandre; Miller, Michelle; Oliveira, Gustavo De L.T.; Orlando, Eyrika; Peterson, Hikaru Hanawa; Qiao, Xiaohui; Roka, Fritz; Ropicki, Andrew; Saha, Bijeta Bijen; Stevens, Andrew W.; and Zhang, Li, "Pandemic Produce: Impacts of COVID-19 on Florida's Fruit and Vegetable Industries" (2023). Geography. 940.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_geography/940

Copyright Conditions

Publisher source must be acknowledged with citation: Court, C. D., Outerbridge, D., Baker, L., Birou, L., Campbell, C., DiGiacomo, G., ... & Zhang, L. (2023). Pandemic Produce: Impacts of COVID-19 on Florida’s Fruit and Vegetable Industries. Journal of agricultural & food industrial organization, 21(1), 69-88. Must link to publisher version and article's DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jafio-2022-0025