Labor Issues in the Food Supply Chain Amid the COVID-19 PandemicJEL codes

The impacts of COVID-19 on labor in the food supply chain and on workers' decisions to accept essential jobs are discussed. We then analyze surveys administered to low-skilled domestic workers before and during the pandemic to assess respondents' attitudes toward food production, guest workers, immigration policy, and the government's response to COVID-19. Results suggest the outbreak resulted in respondents, on average, shifting their view toward food being a national security issue and a higher degree of empathy for H-2A workers. Regression analysis shows that gender, current agricultural workers, and information on COVID-19 and agricultural field workers influenced respondents' answers.

Automated summary

The impact of COVID-19 on labor in the food supply chain and workers' decisions to accept essential jobs is discussed, with results suggesting that respondents shifted their views towards food being a national security issue and showed increased empathy for H-2A workers. Regression analysis indicates that gender, current agricultural work experience, and information on COVID-19 and agricultural field workers influenced respondents' attitudes.