Coronavirus may cause some food shortages, warns government task force

[bucolic_frolic]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-may-cause-some-food-shortages-says-government-document-223308504.html

WASHINGTON — The nation could begin to see food shortages for some products if the people working on the supply chain lack personal protective equipment, warns an internal Trump administration document obtained by Yahoo News.

Empty supermarket shelves have become one of the most jarring images of the coronavirus pandemic, which has sickened 270,000 Americans and killed 7,000. But so far, there have been no food shortages, despite 90 percent of the American population being under state-enforced lockdown orders.

And despite the difficulties people have had in obtaining certain foods, like pasta, grocery stores are generally well stocked. Government officials have argued that any temporary shortages are the result of unprecedented demand, as people have bought more than usual, rather than an actual supply-chain breakdown.

~snip~

“A few weeks or a month ago we were fine,” Debgupta said. “We are fine. The issue really is in the distribution. If we don't address that — the movement of people and goods — we’ll be in quite a lot of trouble.”

[beachbumbob]

1. wait when 50% of the truckers are no longer driving for varying reasons

we haven't seen anything yet

[Rorey]

2. The cereal aisle was looking pretty bare in my King Soopers yesterday

I'm not sure what's up with that. The coffee wasn't well-stocked either.

I saw a news segment yesterday about the possibility of crops rotting in the fields because work visas weren't being processed so there they couldn't be harvested. Another "thanks, Trump" moment.

[underpants]

3. Sounds like a Big Agra cost jacking PR thing

But if it hits the truckers and clerks we’re screwed.

[customerserviceguy]

4. Don't forget

the folks in the middle of the supply chain. A food producer sends out trucks full of its products, which then go to big warehouses in the middle of the country (where commercial real estate is relatively cheap) and workers move stuff out of producers' trucks, and into trucks that have the wide variety of items that are on a store's order for that load. If those workers get sick, then the supply chain breaks down.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

5. Nothing will happen to stop it. Unless the dotard can no longer get hamberders,

[MoonlitKnight]

6. WHO warned about this a couple of weeks ago

Or at least it seems that long ago. Losing track of time is another impact of this.

[NickB79]

7. Produce farms rely on migrant labor. Borders are closing though

Travel is being restricted, and people are scared to travel.

Lots of fruits and vegetables are going to rot in the fields.

My advice? Plant a garden if you can.