America's Food Supply Chain, Mapped

[chromedome]

https://www.fastcompany.com/90422553/the-first-map-of-americas-food-supply-chain-is-mind-boggling

[gfweb]

Fascinating.

So Sussex Co , DE is high on the import food list. How odd. Not a big population, but they do tend to be heavy-weights.

Or perhaps the beach resorts account for some of it. But still odd.

[kayb]

I am somewhat fascinated that Memphis/Shelby County TN is a "core county" for food supply. Granted, it's a distribution hub, and granted, it's in the middle of the breadbasket that is the American South, but I would have expected Chicago and Atlanta to join it in the east-of-the-Mississippi region. Yes, Memphis is big in ag distribution, but it's mostly cotton and other commodities destined for animal feed.

 

Intriguing. I've saved this to go back to it and chase some links. But then, logistics are a core part of my business.

[nickrey]

What about food that is flown in from other countries? It would add another, potentially scary, dimension to freight miles. 

[kayb]

19 hours ago, nickrey said:

What about food that is flown in from other countries? It would add another, potentially scary, dimension to freight miles. 

 

What I know of logistics (admittedly, only enough to be dangerous) tells me the volume of food flown is is relatively small, so wouldn't have a huge impact on the overall suppy chain picture. Commodities shipped overseas go by sea; the advent of refrigerated containers that go in freighters, on rail and on trucks has revolutionized that aspect of the industry. Specialty stuff -- fresh seafood, etc., -- is the majority of what's flown, and advances in flash-freezing means that's limited to high-end restaurant and grocery usage.

 

Rail is another story, particularly from South to North America, and other tropical regions to their more temperate neighbors.