Farms with Direct to Consumer Sales in the Northeast Region and COVID-19

Given how the coronavirus (COVID-19) is spread, businesses that require close contact between buyers and sellers are at heightened risk. Agricultural producers who sell directly to consumers face a particular conundrum in that they both tend to be located close to population centers and it is in these densely populated areas where COVID-19 cases are most common. Here we document this issue and discuss resulting challenges for farmers, and their adaptation strategies to date. The problem is especially pronounced in the Northeast U.S.