MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — Farmers across Tennessee have been forced to adapt during the COVID-19 outbreak to ensure food still gets to dinner tables across the state.
Batey Farms has seen a lot of changes in its more than 200 year history, but Owner and Operator Brandon Whitt said COVID-19 brings some new challenges.
"It's just changed your whole perspective of how you go about daily business," said Whitt.
The family-owned farm in Rutherford County supplies corn, soybeans, wheat, barley and pork to local businesses. It is also well-known for its large strawberry patch that is open to the public each year.
Whitt said the farm is still conducting business, but additional measures are being taken to make sure staff stay safe and healthy. The farm retail store also closed three weeks ago to protect customers and staff.
The farm supplies food to restaurants and hotels across the area. With those businesses now closed, Whitt said the sales aren't happening.
"You’ve seen that wholesale market has dried up and disappeared to some degree," said Whitt.
Whitt said three acres of strawberries at the farm should be ripe in a couple of weeks. Normally, people would line up for a chance to fill a basket with fresh-picked berries. However, this year social distancing requirements may prevent the farm from allowing people to pick the berries. This is normally a huge source of income for the farm, and Whitt said they will have to get creative this year.
"How are we going to address getting the strawberries into the hands of the consumer?" said Whitt. "We may have to offer a drive-up service."
When it comes to food supply in the state, a spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture says Tennesseans shouldn't panic.
"At this time, we see no evidence of agricultural shortages in Tennessee. We’re fortunate to have such a strong and varied food manufacturing industry in our state, " said Kim Doddridge, a Public Information Officer for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. "The food supply chain is diverse and is working to adapt to the changes in consumer behavior. "
"The sudden spike in food purchases at the onset of the crisis led to empty cooler cases, however that’s starting to level out. There are only so many trucks and so many employees available at any given time to process, deliver, and stock our stores. We urge customers to maintain their regular buying habits so that the supply chain can keep up."
Doddridge said people looking to buy products from local farms can get more information at: https://www.picktnproducts.org/. Consumers are also encouraged to support local Farmers' Markets.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has also set up a website to help agribusinesses and consumers amid the health crisis. Click here for more information.
Whitt said depending on how long the outbreak lasts, farmers may be asking the United States Congress for help in some sort of a stimulus package. For now, he said he is focused on working hard and staying positive.
"We just keep staying the course and moving forward," said Whitt.
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COUNTY-BY-COUNTY CASES IN TENNESSEE
What is COVID-19 (a.k.a. the new coronavirus?)
According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Examples include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 stands for "Coronavirus disease 2019," which is when this strain of the coronavirus was discovered.
What are the symptoms?
The CDC says patients confirmed to have the 2019-nCoV reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Or at least two of the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
At this time, the CDC believes symptoms could appear as soon as two days after exposure, or as long as 14 days.
Prevention
The CDC is recommending "common sense" measures such as:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
