NASHVILLE, TN (RFD News) — Farmers and ranchers tied to perishable food markets face growing pressure in the cold chain as food companies demand faster, more flexible refrigerated and frozen logistics.
A new Lineage survey of 1,000 North American supply chain decision-makers finds that cold storage and transportation are becoming increasingly critical to food availability.
The survey found 56 percent of leaders rank tariffs, regulations, and political shifts among their top decision drivers. 73% expect tariffs to continue hurting financial performance in 2026.
For producers, weak cold chain performance can lead to slower movement, higher costs, and greater product loss after harvest or processing. That directly affects meat, dairy, produce, frozen foods, and value-added products.
Consumers also feel the pressure. When refrigerated and frozen networks struggle to keep up with demand, companies face more spoilage risk, tighter inventories, and higher logistics costs.
The survey says companies are turning to data, artificial intelligence, automation, and flexible storage capacity to manage volatility.
