Food Insecurity and the Pandemic

Laurie Ristino

April 15, 2020

Americans are experiencing a tidal wave of food insecurity related to the coronavirus pandemic. Historic unemployment claims and surging demand at food banks are laying bare the precarious circumstances of many of our citizens and the inadequacy of our social safety net. We can learn from the coronavirus epidemic--and we must in order to prevent human suffering in the future. Taking stock and then reforming our policies should start now while legislative momentum is possible--not after the country has moved past the apex of the disease.

In a recent episode of the podcast, Good Law/Bad Law, I joined host Aaron Freiwald to discuss the vital connection between the 2018 Farm Bill, the pandemic, and the startling food insecurity so many Americans are now facing. Along the way, we touched on how the current crisis is a harbinger of future food insecurity given climate change and growing global demand, as well as opportunities to restructure future farm bills to provide a sustainable and equitable safety net for producers and consumers.

You can listen to the podcast below, or download for later, here.

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