IMPACT ON SUPPLY CHAINS

One of the most pressing and evident impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the strain it has placed on food system supply chains, and how producers acquire, process, and distribute their products: 91.7% of respondents report

having had their supply chains impacted as

a result of the pandemic. Commonly cited impacts included: difficulty in sourcing seed and animal feed; extended wait times to process meat due to packing house closures and backed-up orders; and a loss of sales outlets such as farmers markets and restaurants. These combined effects have, in certain instances, resulted in lower sales prices, most notably in beef.

Amid these difficulties, 71% of respondents

have been able to address some of these

impacts, adapting to and mitigating some of the deleterious effects of the pandemic. These strategies have included shifting from restaurant sales to community supported agriculture (CSA) programs, farm stands, and selling to local schools, as well as pivoting to online sale platforms and new advertising efforts. Others have reported traveling farther distances and across state lines to purchase needed seed, animal feed, and to process meat. This pandemic has shown the immense adaptive capacity of intermountain west producers, yet new strategies developed during an emergency require careful attention in order to continue in a post-COVID world.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Support remediation efforts for the meat processing industry.

• Support strengthening direct markets and CSA efforts, including building out online sales and advertisements.

Promote messages for people to purchase local food.

• Grow local food and supply chains by increasing funding and opportunities for schools and charities to continue purchasing local food at a fair and just prices. in order to grow local food supply chains.