Farmers in Chester County are bracing for huge coronavirus-caused losses in the middle of the high season as the restaurant shutdowns and stay-at-home orders continue to diminish the demand for their produce, writes Ximena Conde for WHYY.

According to Chris Alonzo, head of Pietro Industries in Kennett Square, the Mushroom Capital of the World is looking at as much as a 30 percent loss of business among its farms.

Catherine Renzi, owner of Yellow Springs Farm in Chester Springs, has seen her sales come to a screeching halt as caterers and restaurants currently have no need for her artisanal goat cheeses. Additionally, with people staying at home, she has fewer opportunities to sell her plants at a time when she usually makes 75 percent of her total plant sales.

Renzi is currently looking for any help being offered by the federal government, but it does not look promising. Meanwhile, state aid is offering loans, which will only add more debt in the long run for sales that are lost for good.

“We would be better off receiving grants than loans,” Renzi said.

Read more at WHYY here.

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