Coronavirus restaurant closings destroy demand.
Farmers across America are throttling back as the coronavirus erases sales to restaurants, hotels and school cafeterias.
“It’s heartbreaking,” one Florida farmer said. “We’re getting calls from food banks. There is a need for milk. The fact that grocery stores are still limiting their purchases when we’re pouring it down the drain—there’s just a disconnect there.”
Panic buying of groceries led to a shortage of milk in March. Some stores began limiting purchases per customer or household.
The supply chain that ultimately brings milk from the cow to a customer’s refrigerator has also been spoiled. High amounts of milk are being spilled into grassy fields or down industrial drains. “There’s just nowhere to send it,” another farmer said.
Still another said, “We’re not getting any help from the government, and we need some.”
Egg producers have been working with both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration to increase available supplies of eggs. Flexibility has been introduced by these government agencies to allow relabeling of eggs, so that eggs that would ordinarily go to restaurant and hospitality industries can go to grocery store customers. Nevertheless, they are dealing with the same supply chain and market limitations as milk producers, and many are just disposing of the eggs rather than trying to find customers.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For dairy farmers and egg producers to be able to find buyers and get their products to market.
- That these farmers would be able to maintain healthy herds and flocks as production does not slow down.
- For truckers and others who work to get products to market, and for the middlemen who can facilitate these deliveries.
- For other agriculture workers and suppliers who could be dealing with similar issues like over-abundance of produce or meats.
Sources: USA Today, Feed Stuffs, Wall Street Journal
