Supply Chain Woes Bother U.S. Farm System, Afflict Consumers

Producers are over-ordering supplies for 2022, farmers are considering new cash crops, while others are getting out of the business. Across the country, supply chain disruptions are forcing the industry to adapt, Emily Baron Cadloff reported for the US trade magazine Modern Farmer.

Photo Insert: A farm worker driving a tractor in Utah, USA

First, there were delayed shipments from overseas. Then, ships stuck at port and truck drivers unable to load up deliveries. More recently, a pricier Thanksgiving turkey—if you were able to find one in the first place.

Supply chain disruptions steadily increased this year and with each new hiccup, a new sector of food production or distribution has been impacted. Though each of these supply issues happens on their own scale, it’s clear they’re connected.

COVID-19 has also changed the way we shop. With online ordering a primary option for many people, this puts stress on transportation channels even more. As we head into our second COVID winter, demand for products hasn’t gone down and experts agree that supply chain issues will continue for the foreseeable future.

Generally speaking, we have enough food. Farmers and producers around the country are growing enough grain, harvesting enough almonds, and butchering enough hogs to meet demand. It’s not a matter of having the goods. It’s about getting products from farms to your table.

United Grain Corp., based in Washington, works with thousands of farmers in Washington, Oregon, Montana, and the Dakotas, moving thousands of bushels of grain from field to storage to containers every day. The grain distributor focuses on cash crops such as wheat varieties, along with soybeans and barley, meeting the strong demand for those products in Asian markets.

CEO Augusto Bassanini says United Grain has been able to weather the transportation crunch pretty well, but only because they’ve spent the last decade shoring up their own dedicated pipeline. In many areas, that means learning how to be as efficient as possible.

First, there were delayed shipments from overseas. Then, ships stuck at port and truck drivers unable to load up deliveries. More recently, a pricier Thanksgiving turkey—if you were able to find one in the first place.

Supply chain disruptions steadily increased this year and with each new hiccup, a new sector of food production or distribution has been impacted. Though each of these supply issues happens on their own scale, it’s clear they’re connected.

COVID-19 has also changed the way we shop. With online ordering a primary option for many people, this puts stress on transportation channels even more. As we head into our second COVID winter, demand for products hasn’t gone down and experts agree that supply chain issues will continue for the foreseeable future.

Generally speaking, we have enough food. Farmers and producers around the country are growing enough grain, harvesting enough almonds, and butchering enough hogs to meet demand. It’s not a matter of having the goods. It’s about getting products from farms to your table.

United Grain Corp., based in Washington, works with thousands of farmers in Washington, Oregon, Montana, and the Dakotas, moving thousands of bushels of grain from field to storage to containers every day. The grain distributor focuses on cash crops such as wheat varieties, along with soybeans and barley, meeting the strong demand for those products in Asian markets.

CEO Augusto Bassanini says United Grain has been able to weather the transportation crunch pretty well, but only because they’ve spent the last decade shoring up their own dedicated pipeline. In many areas, that means learning how to be as efficient as possible.

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