RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE SMALL FARMS: LESSONS FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The long-term goal of this project is to maximize the ability of small-scale farm operations in Missouri to improve in terms of efficiency, productivity, and overall welfare. The specific objectives of the study are:1) estimate and analyze small farmers' risk perceptions during the COVID-19 pandemic; 2) inform if small farmers use coping mechanisms during the COVID-19 pandemic to increase farm survival; 3) determine which small farmers requested and received external support during the COVID-19 pandemic; 4) measure the change in marketing channel choice during the COVID-19 pandemic; 5) explain variability in farm production, profitability, and long-term sustainability in terms of risk perception, resilience, external support, marketing channel choice, and farm and farm operator characteristics.