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 actually 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 practises 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, explained via email. "Hand sanitizing and donning outerwear are normal practices in food processing plants, so additional personal protection equipment would be another layer of protection for the worker."