Farmers Report Concerns About Sales Reps on Farms During Pandemic

A survey from Farm Journal found 45 percent of farmers have reservations about allowing sales representatives back onto their farm. The survey released last week, also found in order for input suppliers to be allowed back on the farm, 50 percent say social distancing would be required. Additionally, 18 percent want outside vendors to wear proper personal protection equipment, such as masks. However, not everyone is voicing that concern about sales representatives and non-employees coming on their farm. The survey found 36 percent say they're not concerned about visitors. Of the 640 farmers surveyed by Farm Journal, just 11 percent say they are not ready for visitors. Growing concerns or not, consultant Dick Wittman, thinks navigating new business practices today may be permanent solution in agriculture. Wittman says, "It's making people rethink how we can do business in the future. We don't need to have everybody interacting every day in an office."