Moore: Ag Industry Trying To Learn From Pandemic

Agriculture and others in the food supply chain are trying to take away important lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, in hopes of being prepared in the likelihood of a second wave. American Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Dale Moore said the search for solutions to food supply disruptions is guaranteed, amid the ongoing pandemic.

“And then, have that solution ready, in-hand, ready to start at the flip of a switch, rather than, kind of, the lead-up that it took, just to, kind of, figure out, what was going on.”

And the pressure-points, he noted, are now obvious.

“The impacts of what happens when restaurants are shut down, that food that goes into that system, that chain of distribution, is one that would say, hopefully, there’s some kind of nimbleness in the process that recognizes, ok, we need to ship that distribution, that delivery, over, perhaps more, to the grocery stores, or certainly, to the folks who are in need.”

But Moore said lots of learning remains to get to a “new normal,” where the pressure’s off to constantly learn new things. However, he continued that some lessons have already been learned.

“Folks know what we need, in terms of personal protective equipment, they know what it takes, what’s on the processing plant or on the farm. We’re hearing updates all the time about how our farmers and ranchers are finding ways, have found ways, to make sure that their workers and their families are safe on the farms and ranches, and, certainly, going all the way up through the chain.”

Moore added personal safety is the “easy button” to push. Once, workers feel secure and can do their jobs, he predicts answers to the tougher issues will fall into place in preparation for a second wave.

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