COVID-19 is already having an impact on food supply. How do we support direct supply chains that keep farmers in business? How do we keep our shelves stocked with food? What happens to farmers’ markets as public gatherings get shut down? 

We’re doing our best to help producers and distributors keep the food supply network running. Here are some ideas on how we can all work together:

Sharing practice – we’re stronger together

One of our core beliefs is that knowledge should be open and shared, so that we all get stronger together. We are running weekly webinars, starting on Wednesday March 18, to share practice. Our Open Food Network instances around the world are finding ways to share information and tips about how to respond to COVID-19. Here are some key links:

Open Food Network Australia forum thread

Open Food Network UK forum thread

Global webinar 18th March 2020 – slides, recording and notes

Open Food Network UK webinar 18th March 2020 – slides, recording and notes

How are others packing? Delivering? Staying safe? We will be inviting our Open Food Network community around the world to participate and share ideas and initiatives across the globe. Please join us at the weekly webinars: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/open-food-network-11056208471 
Or share your ideas on this Fair Food Forum post: https://fairfoodforum.org.au/t/covid-19-how-is-your-food-enterprise-responding/1823

 Set up your supply chain

 If you’re a farmer and suddenly running your own supply chain, you can use our software to create an online shop that manages your orders, gives you packing and delivery reports, and allows you to manage your stock easily. 

Our software is also the only food software that also enables collaborative selling. If you’re setting up a mini-food hub, an online buying group from multiple farmers, or working with other farmers in your region to deliver food together, you can use our software to create a single shopfront. Using that shopfront each of you can manage your own stock levels and receive accurate delivery and packing reports, invoices, etc. 

If you want to get started, you can register here: https://openfoodnetwork.org.au/register

If you need guidance getting set up, check out our user guide: https://guide.openfoodnetwork.org/ 

If you need extra help getting set up, you can join our webinar, at 5:30pm Tuesday March 17.
Open Food Network set-up webinar: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/get-started-selling-food-online-open-food-network-set-up-help-tickets-99937724424

Support farmers

If you are looking for food in your local area, there is most likely an increasing number of options! (If the number of new farmer shop sign-ups this week is anything to go by) 

You can buy your food from a local farmer or food hub: https://openfoodnetwork.org.au/shops#/

How else can we help? Let us know