"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2020-04-14T14:40:51Z"
data-video-section="us"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/04/14/farmer-destroyed-crops-coronavirus-covid-19-flores-nr-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Farmer destroyed crops coronavirus covid-19 flores nr vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="Farmer destroyed crops coronavirus covid-19 flores nr vpx"
data-video-tags="agriculture,agriculture, forestry, and commercial fishing,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,continents and regions,coronavirus,coronavirus pandemic,diseases and disorders,epidemics and outbreaks,famine and food shortages,farm workers,florida,health and medical,infectious diseases,labor and employment,life forms,microscopic life,north america,public health,societal issues,society,southeastern united states,the americas,united states,vegetable, fruit and nut crops,viruses,workers and professionals"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Farmer had to destroy his crop amid food shortage fears
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2020-04-14T14:40:51Z"
data-video-section="us"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/04/14/farmer-destroyed-crops-coronavirus-covid-19-flores-nr-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Farmer destroyed crops coronavirus covid-19 flores nr vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="Farmer destroyed crops coronavirus covid-19 flores nr vpx"
data-video-tags="agriculture,agriculture, forestry, and commercial fishing,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,continents and regions,coronavirus,coronavirus pandemic,diseases and disorders,epidemics and outbreaks,famine and food shortages,farm workers,florida,health and medical,infectious diseases,labor and employment,life forms,microscopic life,north america,public health,societal issues,society,southeastern united states,the americas,united states,vegetable, fruit and nut crops,viruses,workers and professionals"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Farmer had to destroy his crop amid food shortage fears
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-04-19T15:23:32Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/04/19/mask-mandate-removal-airlines-muntean-sot-vpx.cnnbusiness"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="mask mandate removal airlines muntean sot vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="mask mandate removal airlines muntean sot vpx"
data-video-tags="aircraft,aviation and aerospace industry,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,centers for disease control and prevention,coronavirus,coronavirus pandemic,diseases and disorders,epidemics and outbreaks,government organizations - us,health and medical,infectious diseases,life forms,microscopic life,public health,public transportation,respiratory diseases,transportation and warehousing,us department of health and human services,us federal departments and agencies,viruses,air transportation,airlines,decisions and rulings,law and legal system,trial and procedure"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
See airline passengers throw away masks as mandate is revoked
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-04-10T18:05:00Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/04/10/white-house-miffed-by-press-corps-covid-coverage.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="White House miffed by press corps' Covid coverage?"
data-first-publish-slug="White House miffed by press corps' Covid coverage?"
data-video-tags="brian stelter,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,companies,coronavirus,coronavirus pandemic,diseases and disorders,epidemics and outbreaks,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,health and medical,infectious diseases,journalism and news media,life forms,media industry,microscopic life,misc people,politics,public health,respiratory diseases,the atlantic,us federal government,viruses,white house"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
White House miffed by press corps' Covid coverage?
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-02-21T20:54:03Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/02/21/fox-neil-cavuto-covid-vaccine.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Fox Neil Cavuto covid vaccine"
data-first-publish-slug="Fox Neil Cavuto covid vaccine"
data-video-tags="business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,communicable disease control,companies,coronavirus,diseases and disorders,electronics,fox corporation,health and medical,health care,health care facilities,hospitals,infectious diseases,intensive care units,levels of care (health),life forms,medical and health care electronics,medical treatments and procedures,microscopic life,public health,respiratory diseases,technology,vaccination and immunization,viruses"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Fox anchor says the Covid-19 vaccine saved his life
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-02-07T12:04:45Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/02/04/watch-covid-pandemic-house-hgtv-video-orig.cnn-business"
data-branding-key="innovate"
data-video-slug="watch covid pandemic house hgtv video orig"
data-first-publish-slug="watch covid pandemic house hgtv video orig"
data-video-tags="diseases and disorders,health and medical,infectious diseases,companies,epidemics and outbreaks,hgtv,public health"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-02-04T23:15:07Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/02/04/jobs-report-inflation-economy-brian-deese-national-economic-council-director.cnnbusiness"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="jobs report inflation economy brian deese national economic council director"
data-first-publish-slug="jobs report inflation economy brian deese national economic council director"
data-video-tags="business, economy and trade,economic indicators,economy and economic indicators,employment growth,employment trends,government and public administration,government bodies and offices,labor and employment,labor sector performance,politics,us federal government,white house,government organizations - us,us congress"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
National Economic Council director on how to 'normalize' the economy
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-01-21T12:26:04Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/01/21/hong-kong-cathay-pacific-zero-covid-lu-stout-pkg-intl-hnk-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Hong Kong cathay pacific zero Covid lu stout pkg intl hnk vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="Hong Kong cathay pacific zero Covid lu stout pkg intl hnk vpx"
data-video-tags="air transportation,aircraft pilots,airline employees,airlines,arrests,asia,business and industry sectors,business, economy and trade,cathay pacific,china,communicable disease control,companies,continents and regions,coronavirus,coronavirus pandemic,crime, law enforcement and corrections,criminal law,diseases and disorders,east asia,epidemics and outbreaks,europe,health and medical,hong kong,hotels and motels,infectious diseases,isolation and quarantine,kristie lu stout,labor and employment,law and legal system,law enforcement,life forms,lodging,microscopic life,misc people,northern europe,public health,respiratory diseases,transportation and warehousing,travel and tourism,united kingdom,viruses,workers and professionals"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-01-14T09:17:09Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/01/14/hong-kong-zero-covid-supply-chain-lu-stout-pkg-intl-hnk-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="Hong Kong zero covid supply chain lu stout pkg intl hnk vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="Hong Kong zero covid supply chain lu stout pkg intl hnk vpx"
data-video-tags="asia,border control,china,communicable disease control,continents and regions,coronavirus,coronavirus pandemic,diseases and disorders,east asia,epidemics and outbreaks,health and medical,hong kong,infectious diseases,international relations,international relations and national security,kristie lu stout,life forms,microscopic life,misc people,national security,public health,respiratory diseases,territorial and national borders,viruses"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Pandemic empties one of the world's busiest airports
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-01-11T12:49:06Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/01/11/colorado-governor-polis-coronavirus-business-newday-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="colorado governor polis coronavirus business newday vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="colorado governor polis coronavirus business newday vpx"
data-video-tags="colorado,continents and regions,north america,southwestern united states,the americas,united states,diseases and disorders,ed lavandera,epidemics and outbreaks,health and medical,infectious diseases,jared polis,misc people,political figures - us,public health"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Colorado Gov. Polis pushes 'get back to normal' strategy
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-01-04T20:46:31Z"
data-video-section="business"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/01/04/nyc-mayor-business-open-shutdown-eric-adams.cnnbusiness"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="nyc mayor business open shutdown eric adams"
data-first-publish-slug="nyc mayor business open shutdown eric adams"
data-video-tags="continents and regions,environment and natural resources,eric adams,landforms and ecosystems,new york (state),new york city,north america,northeastern united states,political figures - us,the americas,united states"
data-details="">
March is typically Kate McClendon’s busiest month. But that changed with the coronavirus pandemic.
Her family farm, McClendon’s Select, in Peoria, Arizona, supplies organic fruits and vegetables to about 90 restaurants, which normally receive a flood of customers with the spring weather.
Now, those businesses have shut down as state and local officials try to stem the spread of the virus. For McClendon, the closures have been devastating. “Basically 95% of our restaurant business went away overnight,” she said.
“There are going to be businesses, myself included, who might not be able to survive this,” McClendon added. “If those small farms are allowed just to go away, it is going to be too expensive to start it back up again.”
Farmers are rushing to adapt to the new normal, and the government is scrambling to help. The federal government’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, has earmarked $16 billion in aid to agricultural producers through the USDA, in addition to other funds dedicated to supporting the agriculture industry more broadly.
Kate McClendon is worried about her business.
Sean McClendon
As farmers waited for the USDA to dole out funding, they were able to apply to the Small Business Association’s Payroll Protection Plan. But early confusion about whether or not they would be able to access those funds caused critical delays in applications for an initial pot of money that has already run out. And other aid, like the SBA’s emergency loans, were unavailable to many small farms for the first several weeks of the coronavirus lockdown, hurting farms’ ability to get emergency relief.
Some fear government stimulus won’t be enough to save many farmers.
“We don’t believe that the allocation that will come out via this package will make any farmer whole,” said Veronica Nigh, an economist with the Farm Bureau, which represents U.S. farmers. “Hopefully it will keep the largest number of farms from going under in the short term.”
Americans may see less selection or more expensive food than they’re used to as well as a smaller variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. If independent farmers go out of business, some consumers may lose access to locally-produced food.
“We may find that the food selection is reduced,” said Andrew Novakovic, a professor of agricultural economics at Cornell’s Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. “It’s fairly likely we’re going to be eating more canned foods and have less fresh fruits and vegetables available.”
Who gets what from the USDA
Some farmers fear their businesses won't make it through this crisis.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The government’s efforts to help agriculture falls short, some experts have warned.
The USDA plan “lacks critical details to confirm whether it will actually reach all who need it,” said Eric Deeble, policy director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Commission, in a statement.
“Farmers that are selling directly to consumers or to schools, institutions and restaurants have had perhaps the most disruption,” he told CNN Business. Such farmers, he added, generally tend to be more vulnerable to financial disruptions than commodity farmers or those who belong to large cooperatives.
“For historically underserved farmers, low-resource farmers, farmers of color, veteran farmers, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, direct market opportunities are often the way that they can afford to get into farming and stay in farming,” he explained.
Independent farmers serving local communities are generally not supported by the USDA, unlike commodity crop farmers. Commodities like wheat, corn, sorghum, barley, soybeans, peanuts and others are subsidized by the government.
That means that many farmers hurt by the coronavirus pandemic will be leaning on government support for the first time.
“There aren’t really good, strong programs already in place to help farmers targeting local markets when stuff like this happens,” said Ben Lilliston, interim co-executive director at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.
Advocacy groups are asking the government to prioritize helping the most vulnerable farmers by placing a moratorium on farm foreclosures and put restrictions on how much aid should go to industrial animal agriculture.
“The folks that have the most resources are best able to weather a storm,” Deeble said. If the USDA doesn’t direct some of its funding directly to those already on the brink, “there won’t be any left.”
Another question is how easy it will be to get hold of those funds, Lilliston noted.
“There’s a sense of urgency because a lot of these farmers have just suddenly had a market slammed in their face. They don’t have a lot of savings. And in order for them to keep going, they’re going to need to access that aid,” he said.
Confusion and reversals associated with SBA funding don’t inspire confidence, he warned.
SBA funding could be too little, too late
A tractor is seen on McClendon Selects, an organic family farm in Peoria, Arizona.
Sean McClendon
The government has started doling out relief funds to all Americans, including small businesses.
But the process has been messy. Small businesses are still anxiously waiting for aid, and some haven’t even gotten their applications approved. Many had to navigate complicated, buggy websites while continuing to work long hours.
“The SBA Paycheck Protection Program has been particularly challenging for farmers and ranchers,” said Nigh. “There are a lot of questions … about farmer and rancher’s eligibility in the program,” she said.
The Bureau been assuring farmers that they can apply for paycheck protection.
Todd Bostock, who grows grapes and makes wine at Dos Cabezas Wineworks in Arizona, started working with his bank on applying for a PPP loan as soon as the program was announced. Still, he had to fill out the form three times before it was accepted.
The days between his initial application and when he finally received the funds were extremely stressful, Bostock said. Though he didn’t know whether or not the PPP funds would come through, Bostock continued to pay his employees. He wondered if he could afford not to check his email constantly in case he needed to send in more documents, or resubmit something.
McClendon also applied for help through the PPP, and is anticipating some relief through the program.
She was hoping to also get help from the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan. But she learned that her farm wasn’t technically eligible for relief via the administration’s disaster program, so she reached out to her local representatives for more clarity.
“We were shocked and disappointed that, contrary to Congressional intent, the Small Business Administration singles out farmers and agricultural businesses as ineligible for this program,” they wrote. “We urge you to ensure that agricultural businesses and farmers are eligible to access the EIDL program,” they added. “SBA’s swift action on this issue will help alleviate the concerns of our nation’s family farms, which are vital to our country and our communities.”
A few weeks later,SBA tweaked EIDL eligibility to allow small farmers to apply, McClendon learned from her local representatives. But she worries it’s too late.
Even though she knew her farm might not be eligible, she applied for the EIDL loan weeks ago. She’s hoping that means she has a spot in line when funds start getting distributed again. But she doesn’t know if she’ll be pushed to the back.
“All farms are now behind everybody else who was able to submit before the funding ran out,” she said.