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Midwestern Ag Directors comradery expected to continue past pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has created more collaboration between Midwestern state directors of agriculture.
Just as food moves across state lines, so does the coronavirus which is why Gary McDowell, Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development picked up the phone and started working with his counterparts in surrounding states.
“So many of our problems were intertwined.”
McDowell tells Brownfield the collaboration was inspired by what he saw being done with area governors and it’s transpired into regular meetings covering challenges state ag departments tackle.
“So much of our products and problems cross stateliness and everyone had the same issues but a lot of us had a different way of looking at it and approaching it.”
The group, which also includes ag directors from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, released a video ahead of the holidays encouraging COVID precautions to limit the spread of the virus, keep essential workers healthy, and the food supply chain running.
