Supply chain issues have forced farmers and ranchers to make tough decisions, and it could make Christmas a little more difficult for rural America.
The supply chain challenges that have plagued the U.S. economy can be traced back to stay-at-home orders at the start of the pandemic. The chief economist with the American Farm Bureau says that consumers clogged supply lanes with purchases of goods rather than services.
“They ended up buying a lot of stuff from across the Pacific Ocean, and that stuff clogged up the ships and the containers and the ports-- all that overloaded supply chains,” according to Dr. Roger Cryan. “Infrastructure is getting in the way of things getting to the U.S., like machine parts and computer chips for tractor manufacturers and fertilizer to farmers. It’s also causing some problems for farmers exporting, as well.”
Dr. Cryan says that these issues will likely impact the holidays.
“It’s going to make it hard for a lot of folks who wanted to get stuff from across the ocean for Christmas, for holiday gifts, and so forth. It’s raising prices for some other things. We did a Thanksgiving survey that showed the price for the turkey is up, but I think the biggest issues are across the economy.”
He says that you can help ease some supply chain issues by shopping closer to home.
“Maybe buy fruit baskets from the farm stand, or a cheese box, or some local wine from your farmers market. Gift certificates from the restaurant on main street. That’s good for a lot of things. We want you to get that new TV you want but maybe later. We believe trade is a good thing, and American farmers depend on trade, but this year, you can try looking for the things close by that can bring joy this holiday season.”
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