Pandemic Exposes Five Weak Spots In U.S. Food Supply Chain
Americans are questioning the stability of the country’s food supply, and the viral outbreak reveals meatpacking plants as a primary weak spot. Due to cramped working conditions, meat processing plants currently account for some of the largest coronavirus hotspots. Smithfield Foods was forced to close its largest pork processing plant after over 500 workers contracted the virus and one worker died from COVID-19. Other meat processors such as Tyson, Cargill and JBS have also closed plants due to infected workers.
Foreign workers are another weak spot, particularly in the agricultural sector. President Trump’s temporary suspension of immigration during the lockdown could deter seasonal workers from picking fruits and vegetables in the future.
The supply chain has also been challenged with new consumer buying habits, a third weak spot. As restaurants remain closed, consumers are buying record amounts of food at retail grocery stores. But retailers are struggling to keep up with demand. While wholesalers have surplus food products from business interruption in the hospitality industry, products packaged for wholesale cannot be easily repackaged for retail.
Food insecurity marks a fourth weak spot. Prior to the pandemic, 37 million Americans were considered food insecure. Monica Hake, senior research manager at Feeding America, estimated that a 7.6-point rise in the unemployment rate would increase the number of food-insecure people by 17.1 million. To combat the problem, Democrats are advocating to increase nutrition assistance in the CARES Act, signed into law last month.
Lastly, delivery services are struggling with labor shortages to meet demand for increased food delivery. As the coronavirus lockdown continues, the supply chains that provide food to Americans may undergo lasting reforms to withstand any potential interruptions in the future. .
Food Shortages Caused by COVID-19 May Continue
From farm to fork, the American food supply chain is feeling the pinch of the coronavirus. Three main forces have been at work: consumers stockpiling food, suppliers closing or curtailing businesses, and grocery stores struggling to keep up with demand. As meat processors such as Smithfield, Tyson, Cargill and JBS USA continue to shut down plants or furlough workers, meat industry analysts predict temporary shortages for products such as pork. Thankfully, millions of pounds of meat remain in cold storage, so experts don’t foresee long-term food shortages.
However, in the near future, consumers may have difficultly finding the particular products they are used to buying. For instance, Mississippi-based chicken processor, Sanderson Farms, has considered selling only whole chickens instead of cut-up parts to reduce labor and risk of illness at its facilities. Disruptions may also occur in beef and pork supplies, forcing consumers to get creative with different cuts of meat.
At grocery stores, consumers can also do their part to curtail the spread of COVID-19. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union urges shoppers to adhere to social distancing recommendations, wear masks, and touch grocery store items as little as possible to reduce the risk of illness among grocery store workers.
