In What Ways Will COVID-19 Change the Vegetable Industry? [Opinion]
June 24, 2020 Like you, I’ve been wondering about the impacts the coronavirus pandemic will have on our industry. Many of the shocks to the system are short term, a direct result of a temporary situation. But the longer the pandemic lasts, the more likely some things we consider temporary will become permanent.
One issue I’m watching isn’t getting much attention, but it has the potential to affect you.
Over the past several decades, U.S. citizens flocked to cities, leaving rural America behind. That trend profoundly changed the country, creating issues we deal with today — a rural/urban disconnect, citizens who do not understand how their food reaches their table, and weakening rural medical systems.
I’m wondering if that will start to reverse. Pre coronavirus, sky-high urban property values in San Francisco and New York were driving away all but their wealthiest citizens. No one else could afford to live there.
Enter the pandemic. Office workers began commuting from their dining tables. Zoom showed everyone that in-person meetings weren’t necessary. Since many modern business tasks are digital, company owners are likely weighing the need to continue centralized models.
I can see a couple ways this will impact you.
Rural Property Values Rise
Urbanites may start moving away from city centers. Some of the economic indicators we’re experiencing today are things we haven’t seen in 60 or 70 years, and back then it caused a significant population shift. Manhattan went from 2.5 million citizens before the stock market crash to only 1.5 million in 1970, according to Chapman University’s Joel Kotkin, Executive Director of the Urban Reform Institute.
With today’s digital connectivity, it makes sense for those who can continue working remotely to pull up stakes in the city and purchase more affordable property. If that happens in a large enough wave, it will ripple to growers, who will find their property values rise.
Rural Connectivity Increases
The pandemic has proven how important connectivity is for the economy to keep functioning. As more people move from city centers, it makes sense to increase broadband access to the entire country.
If you’ve been limited from using some of the new ag technology due to poor internet coverage, you may finally gain the reliable quality access you’ve been wanting.
There are a few other issues I’m watching, like how imports/exports will shift, labor trends, and onboarding technology. But improved connectivity seems like a profound one that can change how we all live.
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