Ga. farmers, restaurateurs say climate change threatens way of life
ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - On Monday, the James Beard Foundation brought its Climate Solutions for Restaurant Survival Campaign to Atlanta.
The foundation hosted a roundtable discussion to talk about climate change and its impact on supply change.
Delroy Dennisur with Dennisur Farms its the future of farming looks bleak.
He said there is still interest from the younger generation, but it’s a struggle trying to afford to farm.
“The extreme weather seems to be more frequent and the intensity is concerning,” said Dennisur.
After back-to-back storms, some Ga. farmers fear for their future
Georgia farmers say their crops looked pretty good despite Debby, but Helene was the nail in the coffin for many.
Bread and Butterfly Owner Brandon Blanchard said their chefs have formed a special bond with farmers like Dennisur. They rely on each other to do business.
“People have told us that there’s so much flavor in the quiche, what is that attributed to? Well, it’s in this case, local mushrooms and local eggs. Previously it was local tomatoes and local,” said Blanchard.
Blanchard said he’s had to expand the number of farmers they source their produce from because farmers don’t always have the inventory after a difficult growing season.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric istration, or NOAA, tracks severe weather events like floods, freezes, and hurricanes. Their data shows they’re happening more often and causing more damage.
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Hurricane Helene destroyed a third of Georgia’s pecan crop.
Last year, a warm winter caused peach trees to bloom early and a freeze killed those blooms. More than 90% of the crop was destroyed.
Anne McBride is the vice president of programs at the James Beard Foundation. McBride said it’s important to find climate change solutions and appeal to lawmakers in a nonpartisan way.
“Those are real facts that are undeniable. And then it really allows climate change to become a bipartisan issue, which is extremely important right now,” said McBride.
McBride encouraged people at the event to federal and state lawmakers.
Their big push is to get an extension of the Farm Bill, which includes price for certain crops, conservation programs, and food assistance like SNAP.
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