Food donations spike (Miami Herald): In Florida, food banks are being flooded with produce from area farms and restaurants whose supply chains have crumbled in the wake of coronavirus-related restaurant closures.
Meat plant hit by possible coronavirus (Wall Street Journal): The meatpacker JBS will reduce production temporarily at a Pennsylvania beef plant after several managers were sent home with flu-like symptoms.
Farming county is coronavirus hotspot (Star Tribune): Martin County, in southern Minnesota, is farming territory with a population of less that 20,000 but two residents have died of Covid-19 and 21 others have tested positive for the coronavirus, “making the small county an unexpected hotbed for the illness.”
Lockdowns block farm labor in Europe (New York Times): European nations regard their food supplies as a matter of national security but travel restrictions intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus are blocking the arrival of seasonal workers; France hopes to mobilize laid-off urbanites.
Data users meeting goes online (USDA): The USDA said it would hold its annual Data Users Meeting, where USDA agencies and the Census Bureau solicit ideas to improve statistical reports, as a virtual meeting on April 21, rather than in-person, the usual format.