“We describe how past
CLR outbreaks have been linked to reduced crop care and investment in coffee farms, as evidenced in the years following the 2008 global financial crisis,” said Knudson.
Chris Knudson
Hawaiʻi-grown coffee is the second most valuable commodity produced in the state, with an annual production of more than $48 million. There are approximately 900 coffee farms throughout the islands.
Knudson and fellow researchers discuss relationships between
CLR incidence, agricultural practices, global economics and local effects. The study contextualizes how current COVID-19 impacts on labor, unemployment, stay-at-home orders and international border policies could affect farmer investments in coffee plants and create conditions favorable for future outbreaks.