Supply side issues are flexing with national impacts. Anticipated issues around produce supply & distribution are floating to the top of concern. With the loss of the restaurant & cruise ship industry growers in Florida are dumping massive amounts of fresh produce. Some is making it to the charitable food system. Retail cannot absorb all of the produce, resulting in astronomical losses. Retooling processing for retail packages is not always an easy transition & requires resources not necessarily available at this time.
"Many growers already reeling from huge losses in sales aren’t able to further eat the cost of harvesting, packing and transporting crops to needy food banks without any financial aid."
"Roughly half the food grown in the US was previously destined for restaurants, schools, stadiums, theme parks and cruise ships."
Produce & dairy have been hit especially hard this last week. There is a disconnect at the retail level: some stores have limited milk purchases- if you are please stop! There is plenty of milk & processing -our farmers need the retail outlets. Between decreasing milk prices at the farm and lost outlets
(foodservice etc)
our farmers need the retail support.
Listen to an informative interview on VPR for more details.
Upcoming challenges are expected in the processing of meat for the national market. They too have lost the same food-service accounts along with increasing pressure for worker-safety & physical distancing issues on processing lines.
There will be major issues with the over supply of animals no longer meeting a market demand. Thus becoming a huge cash-flow impact as producers are feeding animals with no market. Again, the volume cannot be assimilated into the retail sector. For more info read this
great article from the Guardian
is well worth the quick read.