Fewer guestworkers in U.S. fields: The number of H-2A visas for agricultural workers fell 42 percent in 2020, with the pandemic a likely factor, said a think tank. The number of undocumented workers who came to the United States for seasonal work also probably fell. (Harvest Public Media)
Covid puts stress on farmers: Two out of three farmers and farmworkers say the pandemic has had an impact on their mental health, compared to 53 percent of rural Americans overall, according to a poll commissioned by the American Farm Bureau Federation. (AFBF)
Citizenship not required for vaccine: Workers at meatpacking plants — or anyone in Nebraska — will not be required to show proof of citizenship to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, said a spokesman for Gov. Pete Ricketts a day after reports that the workers would receive the vaccine only if they were citizens. (Omaha World-Herald)
Challenges of organic certification: Although growers can fetch a premium for crops and livestock that are certified USDA organic, it can be grueling for small operators to satisfy the paperwork requirements and go through the three-year transition from conventional to organic crops. (The Counter)