b'THINKInside the BoxSome growers resorted to plowing under their fields to avoid incurring the added costs of harvesting, cooling, and packaging. To mitigate future losses, some farmers reduced the number of acres planted.In an attempt to limp through the crisis, a few South Florida growers started selling directly to customers. According to the Census of Agriculture, direct to consumer produce sales traditionally accounts for only 3 percent of the total value of U.S. agricultural production.Waiting GameAs the COVID-19 pandemic continued to unfold, South Georgias fruit and vegetable growers turned their attention to Florida. We were just a few weeks from the true heart of South Georgias fruit and vegetable season, says Paul Thompson, marketing director for the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Fortunately, we were able to learn some valuable lessons from our friends down in South Florida. As the pandemic hit, we watched their food supply chain shut down. We were just a With crops still in the ground, Sam Watson, co-owner of Chill C Farms, says, We werent sure what was going to happen, but we saw Florida having somefew weeks from success with selling the produce boxes directly to customers. the true heart of A 500-acre farm located in Colquitt County, Chill C Farms has a 30,000-square-foot vegetable packinghouse and primarily sells to retail and wholesaleSouth Georgias accounts throughout the southeast.fruit and The food service industry is about half our business, says Watson, state representative for District 172-Moultrie. With schools and restaurants closed,vegetable season. we had to have someplace for the food to go.Fortunately, we Chill C Farms started with just a few items, including cabbage, zucchini, and squash, and then added a variety of seasonal vegetables as they becamewere able to learn available. some valuable Using social media and word of mouth advertising, Watson says their customers were primarily from the local community. We took the orders andlessons from our payment online, filled the boxes, and then customers could pick them up at the farm, or we delivered them within a 20-mile radius. friends down in With approximately 4,000 produce boxes sold, Watson says he was pleasedSouth Florida. As to see the communitys support. We had businesses buying boxes to give to employees, while others were donating boxes to local food banks andthe pandemic hit, nonprofits.we watched their Giving an extra boost to help South Georgia farmers, the Georgia Department of Agriculture launched its Buy Georgia Grown, Now More Than Everfood supply chain campaign.shut down. Using a series of pop-up markets throughout the Atlanta and North Georgia area, the Georgia Grown To-Go boxes helped bridge the gap between- PAUL THOMPSONconsumers and South Georgia growers. The reasonably priced boxes were packed full of Georgias fruits and vegetables like cantaloupe, sweet corn, squash, zucchini, strawberries and blueberries.34 SG MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2020'