Reality Stings and Strengthens

Reality Stings and Strengthens

Empty Store Shelves Reveal Complexity and Resiliency of Food System

By Aaron Putze, APR

Empty grocery store shelves.

For most Iowans, seeing shelves without products has been limited to evening newscasts and social media feeds as reporters filed stories on location from communities struck by natural disasters or countries besieged by war.

But to see them firsthand in Clarion, Denison, Altoona, Sibley, Eagle Grove, Algona and DeWitt?

This once unheard-of scenario became all too real in February 2020 when COVID struck with its full fury.

In addition to the loss of life, sickness, and school and office closures, the pandemic flipped schedules upside down. Routines were replaced by dread and confusion. Everything changed.

I mean, everything – including our buying habits. Shockwaves were sent throughout a myriad of supply chains. Products of all kinds – from milk, meat and eggs to toothpaste, ramen noodles and toilet paper – were suddenly difficult to find as people panicked and hoarded them.

Fragility and Resiliency

Regardless of the reasons or rationale, we came face-to-face with empty store shelves and became acutely aware of the fragility and resiliency of America’s food system.

We also became more attentive to the people and effort needed to provide the necessities to sustain life, beginning with our hard-working and dedicated farm families.

America’s farmers produce. With a helping hand from Mother Nature, they have the knowledge, passion and technology to produce staples and raw ingredients in sufficient quantity – from soybeans, eggs, corn and milk to beef, pork, turkey, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.

But they can’t do it alone. Farmers rely on additional teams of professionals, many of whom live quietly and modestly, go to work in nondescript buildings, and perform daily activities that, prior to the ravages of COVID, received scant attention or fanfare.

These unsung heroes operate feed mills, provide feed and care to animals, and package and ship products. They are electricians, builders, meat cutters, manufacturers, agronomists and veterinarians. They make tires, waterers, feeders and fencing. They produce wood shavings for livestock and poultry bedding, operate machinery, deliver fuel and propane, keep engines running, ensure electricity and water flow, construct grain storage facilities and machine sheds, and keep highly technical farm equipment operating.

Food Production is People-Centric

During a time of increased automation, food production remains a people-centric occupation. Growing food and caring for animals requires the human eye and touch to ensure it’s done correctly. The dedicated professionals who bring food from the farm to your table are skilled, purposeful and committed to weathering any storm and delivering under any circumstance. They take pride in rising to the moment, including the turmoil and uncertainty wrought by a pandemic.

As the depths of COVID’s challenges wane, we are left to wonder when life – and supply chains – will return to normal. Those with expertise in the business say, “Never.” Yet they offer several observations and recommendations that can help navigate the “new normal,” including:

• Buy what’s needed. If you see a product and need it (or expect you’ll need it), buy it.

• Be rational. Don’t overbuy and hoard. Doing so only harms others in need and puts additional strain on inventories and supply chains.

• Confidently shop for generic products. They are of similar quality and often lowerpriced than their name-brand counterparts.

• Don’t fret about not finding a specific product. Now is the time to try something new that will still meet your need and purpose.

Heroes Among Us

Persevering through a pandemic challenged us. There was anger, grief, frustration, despair, disappointment and heartbreak.

There were also plenty of heroes.

In addition to those in health care, we salute the dedicated families and professionals in agriculture and food service. It’s easy to take food and the people who grow, produce, transport and stock it for granted when what we want is always available. America’s food system is the envy of the world. It’s efficient and economical because of these heroes.

And the silver lining is the lasting appreciation we’ll have for stocked shelves. Those who’ve long heralded the story of food and farming and the dedication of those who make so much bounty available were proven to be authentic and their praise well founded.

The realities of the pandemic have stung and strengthened us. Food is indeed a blessing. Let us never take it and those who provide it for granted.