A Glance at Ag #9

MAY 4, 2020

Here are some resources I’ve found recently to help us digest what’s going on in the agriculture industry. Consider each resource as “food for thought” in our own journeys of understanding food, and let’s ask questions to allow us to continually learn and grow.

Food Supply & COVID-19

Video:Food Supply Chain – Thank You

This is a touching video posted by DH Video Creation highlighting how many people are “essential” working in our food supply chain. This quick watch is an uplifting way to start your day. Enjoy.

Article: The Road from Farm to Table

Here’s a comprehensive Q&A piece for you to understand what is going on in the food supply chain right now. It’s big picture and easy to understand, and the authors, Jayson Lust and Candace Croney from Purdue University, cover everything from euthanizing animals to food shortages. If you get anything out of today’s A Glance at Ag, this is the one resource to check out!

Article: Why Are Farmers Dumping Commodities When Grocery Store Shelves Are Empty??

Chris Hunsaker from Acuitus Ag sets the stage well for a big-picture explanation of the food supply chain in this article. He explains that our food is “among the most affordable of any country in the world” and is full of specialized products. These products have specialized supply chains, which have been “turned on their heads” since our restaurants and food services have generally been shut down. He does an excellent job and describing the whole situation and addressing why farmers will have to make some tough decisions in the future (days, weeks, and months).

Article: Rural communities are hungry for change

To give some light to the problems facing rural America that COVID-19 has brought out, Laura Schmidt of Land O’Lakes describes how poverty, broadband, and healthcare shortages in rural America are very real challenges in lower populated areas across the country. My hope is that COVID-19 encourages our leaders across the nation to improve connectivity and quality of life for those in rural areas in those three specific areas.

My unsolicited two cents: Throughout this time in quarantine, I have been beyond frustrated with the lack of support from local to national governments on getting rural broadband addressed and secured. My family operates our business off of three hotspots and we have hotspots in our house. My family only lives 40-50 minutes from the Baltimore area. This should be addressed. I am hopeful that this pandemic will help us move forward in these issues for the vitality of rural America’s communities.

For those of us who like food (and not about COVID-19)…

Infographic: Food Loss, Food Waste, and the Impact of Plant Science

When we think about climate change or problems causing environmental issues, many times we like to point the finger to other groups outside of the communities which we belong to. In some cases, we’re all to blame. Food waste is one thing that all of our society can contribute positively or negatively. It sounds miniscule to not finish your dinner, but when you think about food waste as a national and global society, it actually is detrimental to our planet (and yes, this goes for every kind of diet…vegans, vegetarians, keto-dieters, meat lovers, etc.).

This is an insightful infographic from CropLife International about food waste, and most importantly, how we can reduce this through plant science. Thought GMOs and pesticides were bad for the environment? Think again! They can actually make a huge positive impact on food loss and waste throughout the planet. Check out the infographic to learn more.

 

If you have any thoughts on the above links, or if you find any helpful or insightful resources in your internet searching, please send them to me on social media (below) or on my contact page.

Thanks for reading!