TELLS US HOW THE VIRUS IS
IMPACTING NOT ONLY SEASONAL
HARVESTS, BUT YEAR-ROUND
PRODUCTION.
MARLEI: WITH SPRING IN FULL
SWING, SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY IS
HEADING INTO HARVEST SEASON.
BUT THAT FIRST NEW GROWTH,
ASPARAGUS, STUNTED BY THE
CORONAVIRUS.
>> IT LANDED RIGHT AT THE START
OF THE SEASON.
I MEAN RIGHT NOW WITH THE
WEATHER COMING OUT LIKE TODAY,
THE ASPARAGUS WOULD BE GROWING
VIGOROUSLY.
MARLEI: TONY NOCETI RUNS
STOCKTON’S ASPARAGUS FESTIVAL.
THE WEEKEND AFTER NEXT WOULD
HAVE BEEN THE 35TH ANNUAL, BUT
FOR THE PUBLIC’S SAFETY, NOCETI
PULLED THE PLUG.
>> IT’S UNFORTUNATE THAT IT HIT
AT THIS TIME.
WITH THE VENDORS, AND THE
NON-PROFIT GROUPS, AND THE
AGRICULTURE, THE FARMERS, ALL OF
US ARE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF
THIS THING.
MARLEI: FARMS LIKE KLEIN FAMILY
FARMS, THE MAIN ASPARAGUS GROWER
IN THE COUNTY.
THIS WAS HARVEST LAST YEAR.
THIS YEAR, THE OWNER SAYS THEY
STOPPED PRODUCTION BEFORE IT
EVEN BEGAN.
HE CALLS IT A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS
THAT PREVENTED HIM FROM HIRING
HIS NORMAL 150 EMPLOYEES.
IMPACT FELT NOT JUST BY SEASONAL
HARVESTS, BUT YEAR-ROUND
PRODUCTION, LIKE DAIRY FARMS.
>> IT’S BEEN SEVERE.
THIS IS THE LARGEST PRICE DROP
IN OUR HISTORY.
MARLEI: WESTERN UNITED DAIRIES
REPRESENTS 700 DAIRY FARMS IN
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
THE CEO SAYS WITH RESTAURANT AND
SCHOOL CLOSURES, DAIRIES LOST
50% OF THEIR BUSINESS.
>> WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT
ARE GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE
AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY MIGHT
NOT SEE EVERYTHING THAT THEY
NEED ON THE SHELVES OR IN THE
COOLERS, AND YET, THESE FARMERS
HAVE THE PRODUCT.
WHERE IS THE ISSUE HERE?
>> THEY CAN’T JUST TRANSITION ON
A DIME AND ALL OF A SUDDEN START
DELIVERING MILK TO GROCERY
STORES IF THEY’RE SET UP TO MAKE
CHEESE AND BUTTER AND THINGS F
FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRIES.
MARLEI: BECAUSE OF SUPPLY CHAIN
ISSUES, ANJA RAUDABAUGH SAYS
SOME DAIRIES ARE NOW DUMPING
MILK.
SO THAT MEANS ALONG WITH DUMPING
THE MILK, WE’RE LOSING JOBS?
>> CORRECT.
THAT’S WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO WE’RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE TO REALLY GET OUT TO THE
STORES AND SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL
DAIRY PRODUCT.
MARLEI: MARLEI MARTINE
