NIFA To Study COVID-19 & Agriculture

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, better known as NIFA, is looking at four areas in a new program to research the impact of COVID-19 on agriculture.

"These will be health, well-being of farm and food service providers as all rural Americans," said J. Scott Angle, NIFA director. "Second one would be the health and security of livestock. Third I think is an obvious one, economic security. Obviously COVID-19 is having impact through our nation on al kinds of economies. The last one would be food and food processing with perspective food safety."

Angle noted the importance of food safety when it comes to coronavirus.

"I do want to make it clear though that there is no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted food or food packaging," he pointed out. "However that really doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t study this just to make sure that we understand how the virus plays throughout the distribution system."

NIFA is currently soliciting ideas for the program. The deadline is June 4^th.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekradio.com