May/June 2020 - 16

the $19 billion Coronavirus Food
Assistance Program
(CFAP), which
will include $2.1 billion for specialty
crop producers, which will include
purchase of fresh potatoes and
direct payment to growers. It was
unknown at press time if the package
would include purchase of already
processed potato products or direct
payment to processors.
" Really, it's ... a down payment on the
true needs of American agriculture, "
Quarles said. " At least it will give
growers and processors some clarity on
what things are coming in the weeks
and months ahead and provide some
options for folks. "
Added Flannery: " Right now, we need
to get the current pipeline cleaned out.
We're probably going to have to treat '20
as a separate issue. "
SURVEY RESULTS
Spudman sent an online survey to
subscribers the week of April 6-10 to get
feedback on how the COVID-19 situation
is affecting their jobs and businesses.
Among grower respondents, 58%
said they either would plant (or did
plant) about the same number of acres
of potatoes as they originally planned;
40% said they planted fewer acres due
to decreased demand. Only 2% are
planting more.
When asked if they altered the
varieties of potatoes they planted, only
7% of grower respondents said " yes. "
The majority (70%) said they did not, nor
would they have even if they had more
time to adjust, while the remaining
22% said while they did not change the
varieties they planted, they would have if
there had been more time to plan.
Asked to classify the disruption to
their job or business caused by the
COVID-19 situation, 39% of survey
respondents called it " significant, " while
36% said " moderate. " The remaining
25% said " minor. "
In addition to growers and packers,
the survey was sent to Extension
professionals, crop protection and
equipment providers and processors who
subscribe to Spudman. The vast majority
of respondents (95%) classified themselves
as a grower, packer or shipper.
We asked readers their biggest concern regarding
the COVID-19 issue on their businesses. Here are
a few responses: (Note: Respondents were given the
option of supplying their name.)
" Having migrant labor to pack our crop and moving the crop if
the foodservice sector is still dead. "
- Phil Hickman, Dublin Farms, Horntown, Virginia
" Too many seed potatoes turned back because of the supplyand-demand
issues. "
- Edward Starkel, Polson, Montana
" Scared employees. Also, if the virus were to reach our farm,
how would we finish shipping and planting without enough
employees. "
- anonymous, Wisconsin
" Seed growers' losses are extreme as commercial growers cut
orders at the last minute. They are the last and hardest hit in the
industry's pipeline. The best customers help with the losses, but
there are many that just walk away and the seed grower has
limited outlets for any left. They are too small for freshpack and
dehydrators often don't like to take them if sugars are high. "
- anonymous
" The impact that's it's having on running the shed on a daily
basis and finding new homes for the foodservice sizes that we
are still packing. "
- anonymous, Idaho
" Demand for processing variety seed potatoes that were
all contracted became worthless in one week. Substantial
financial loss. "
- Philip Gross, Spokane Hutterian Brethren, Reardan,
Washington
" Implosion of the independent restaurant. "
- anonymous, New York
16
Spudman.com
http://www.Spudman.com
May/June 2020

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