Will the Bay Area run out of food? Nope. The supply chain is healthy [San Francisco Chronicle]
Those picked-over grocery-store shelves don’t tell the full story. The Bay Area is not in danger of running out of food, industry members and experts say, and the food supply chain is as healthy as ever….Even before six Bay Area counties issued “shelter in place” orders on Monday, long lines snaked through many grocery stores here, and items like toilet paper and hand sanitizer appeared to be in short supply as residents prepared to hunker down in their homes to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus. But despite the rush, the supply chain for food products like fruits, vegetables and meat has not yet been disrupted — even if it’s taking some stores a little longer to restock the shelves.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/Will-the-Bay-Area-run-out-of-food-Nope-The-15135829.php
Farmers markets will stay open in L.A. County [Los Angeles Times]
Bar, gyms, and movie theaters may have been forced to close because of coronavirus concerns, but farmers markets have been deemed essential and will continue to operate, under modified conditions, in Los Angeles County. Farmers markets in Beverly Hills, Claremont, Culver City and Rancho Palos Verdes announced temporary closures in the last week; there was a lingering fear among farmers and shoppers that the same fate would befall other markets across the county. But according to official guidelines published Sunday evening by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, “to ensure that fresh food is available to residents,” outdoor certified farmers markets will be allowed to operate under these main conditions:
What does ‘shelter in place’ mean? How to weather California’s coronavirus outbreak [Salinas Californian]
…As the Monterey County Board of Supervisors grapples with the decision whether or not to issue a “shelter in place” order, six counties across the Bay Area have already decided to order about 6.7 million residents to stay in their homes to slow the novel coronavirus outbreak….Alejo added that the Board of Supervisors was looking at exemptions for the county’s biggest industry: agriculture. “We’re working on language that addresses our agricultural workforce because they are essential for the food supply in our nation,” Alejo said. “It’s important to convey there’s going to be protocols with the agricultural industry to make sure we’re safeguarding workers in the fields and food processing plants.
Wineries in Napa Valley comply with state’s directive to close tasting rooms [Napa Valley Register]
Growing numbers of Napa Valley’s wineries are shuttering their tasting rooms in the wake of Governor Gavin Newsom’s call for wineries, breweries and nightclubs in the state to close as part of the effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. On Monday, Napa Valley Vintners’ board voted unanimously to support Newsom’s recommendation. Similarly, the Wine Institute sent out an email to its statewide membership recommending that tasting rooms follow the Governor’s directive and discontinue tastings and events….Smaller wineries could be hardest hit by the closures, according to Napa Valley College marketing instructor Paul Wagner.
California wineries reel after closing tasting rooms due to coronavirus [Los Angeles Times]
…Although production will continue — at this time of year, vines are pruned and some wines are bottled — the effects of the advisory will be a blow to the economy in California, which produces more wine than any other state….Most winemakers or winery owners interviewed by The Times said they supported closing tasting rooms and stopping tours. Some noted, with optimism, that they are still able to sell bottled wine on site, and continue winemaking operations….The owners of smaller wineries The Times spoke with expressed more serious concern over the closures.
https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2020-03-17/california-wineries-coronavirus-closure
Opinion: Former Rep. Duncan Hunter sentenced to 11 months in prison [Los Angeles Times]
Showing that at least some members of the federal government are doing their jobs, a federal judge late last week blocked a Trump administration rule change that would have thrown an estimated 700,000 low-income Americans off the food stamp rolls. In doing so, Judge Beryl A. Howell of the District of Columbia delivered a stinging message about the necessity for federal agencies and courts, including even the Supreme Court, to keep an eye on facts on the ground — for example, the coronavirus crisis — before trying to push through or endorse policies that would harm vulnerable members of society.
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-03-17/judge-coronavirus-blocks-food-stamp-cuts
