Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on Agricultural Workers and Production in California

Abstract

The agricultural sector in California is immensely important for the mass production of fruit and vegetable commodities in the United States. Furthermore, determining the full impact that COVID-19 had on California’s agricultural sector is essential for the food security of the nation. The pandemic unprecedented nature has already started discussion and predictions to potential impacts that may occur in agriculture. This study focuses on two predictions: labor shortages in the agricultural labor, and potential amplification of issues in the agricultural work sector that were present prior to the pandemic, like discrepancies between workers. Furthermore, this study explores the impact that COVID-19 had on California agriculture via the perspective of agricultural workers, and how it compares with the latter COVID-19 predictions for agriculture. A series of interviews were conducted in Santa Cruz County and analyzed to identify trends among agricultural workers. Additionally, the crop production for 2020 was analyzed to perceive any losses in the production during the pandemic. In this study workers did not recognize the COVID-19 equally, workers perceived disparity among temporary and permanent workers. The disparities perceived and stated by the participants raise attention to the state’s guidelines and whether there needs to be stricter enforcement of the guidelines towards the employers during the current pandemic. Consideration of these disparities among workers in the same and different workplaces, can suggest ways to offer better help for the agricultural workforce. Prior predictions of labor shortage effecting crop productions don’t seem to be supported by this study, since crop production does not have an obvious loss from the prior years, but more research will need to be required to be certain. Furthermore, this study hopes to start discussion and give suggestions in the agricultural sector, especially during this pandemic.