Food Supply Chain

In normal times, the different parts of the supply chain each maintain several months' worth of safety stock, so that they can cope with fluctuations in supply and demand. When the coronavirus crisis hit, though, those backup supplies throughout the system were used up in just 10 days, according to Baker. Replenishing those supplies of food has been tougher because of coronavirus. So far, only a few facilities have had to suspend operations due to COVID-19 cases among the workforce, according to Martin Bucknavage, a senior food safety extension associate in the food science department at Penn State University. But staying open has necessitated changes in practices that can slow down and limit output. "These precautions are necessary to help protect workers who may work in proximity to each other on production/processing lines," Gregory P. Martin, a poultry extension educator for Penn State Extension, explains via email. "Hand sanitizing and donning outerwear are normal practices in food processing plants, so additional personal protective equipment would be another layer of protection for the worker." "It has been an adjustment for facilities to adjust, for example, to enact spacing where possible and other precautions," Bucknavage says. "We may be able to say more in a few more weeks regarding supply chain issues." "In order to keep production rolling with these added measures, many operations have simplified their product offerings, and this is one thing that is noticeable at the grocery store - less selection, for example, and sizes," Bucknavage explains.