While you look at the grain markets, you may wonder why we say that the rural economy suffered during this global pandemic. While the prices are good, it is following years of depressed prices, uncertainty in trade, and market disruptions caused by COVID-19. Not only have the years been tough for farmers, but also the communities that they help to support. Rural towns thrive when the farmers thrive. Other communities depend on ag-related businesses like ethanol plants which were either cut back to lower outputs or shuddered altogether in 2020. High corn and bean prices don?t fix that overnight. That is why companies like Syngenta remain committed to supporting the Ag community and rural America. Helping to keep them whole.
Kathy Eichlin is the North American Crop Protection head of International Communications for Syngenta. She talks about the long history the company has had in agriculture and hunger relief.
With the economic uncertainty that accompanied the pandemic in 2020, there were many trying to figure out how they would survive day-to-day. That included knowing where their next meal was coming from. Syngenta partnered with food banks to help provide tens of thousands of meals across the United States.
Syngenta also pitched in and helped produce hand sanitizer. With the high demand for cleaning and disinfecting products, the industry was overwhelmed. Many companies used their resources to produce more of the necessities that were needed. This also helped keep workers employed who would have been downsized in the economic crunch. Eichlin says that the pandemic has shone a light on the ways companies and individuals have pulled together to keep the country going. She says that Syngenta is proud to be a part of that story.
