25. The food distribution chain is breakable as well as flexible
Natural disasters, such as hurricanes in Florida which destroy a whole season’s crops, or wildfires in California, or droughts in the Midwest, create adverse effects on the American food supply. The food distribution chain mitigates the damage to a large extent. Crops from other areas are distributed throughout the country as the system responds. As long as the transportation and delivery systems remain intact, food moves about the country efficiently and with relatively little disruption in prices, other than those driven largely by hoarding and panic buying.
As witnessed by the massive amount of food wasted daily in the United States, America is glutted with food. Farmers, ranchers, meat processors, gardeners, fruit growers, dairies, and those involved in the processing, packaging, marketing and preparing all forms of food in America ensured there was more than enough food available at the beginning of the 21st century. Despite the growing influence of the eat local and farm-to-table movements, the international food distribution chain became essential to American diets. It will continue to evolve as it embraces new technologies in agriculture, transportation, and nutrition, ensuring Americans have the safest and most diverse food supply in the world.
Where do we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“Historical Development of US Food System”. Ben Champion, Kansas State University. Online
“Processed Food: A 2-Million-Year History”. Evelyn Kim, Scientific American. September 1, 2013
“Rationing”. Article, The National World War II Museum. Online
“The Short History of Pizza in the United States”. Article, Pizza Planet. August 31, 2019. Online
“A Crispy, Salty, American History of Fast Food”. Anna Diamond, Smithsonian.com. June 24, 2019
“The Paradox of American Restaurants”. Derek Thompson, The Atlantic. June 20, 2017
“USDA celebrates 150 years”. Article, United States Department of Agriculture. Online
“Getting Control of Just-In-Time”. Uday Karmarkar, Harvard Business Review. September/October, 1989
“Food Loss and Waste”. Article, US Food and Drug Administration. Online