Kinks Linger in America’s Food System With Pigs Still Piling Up
- Kraft had to find new suppliers of CO2 as ethanol plants shut
- ‘It will take a long time before things get back to normal’
Pigs stand in a pen at a farm near Le Mars, Iowa.
Photographer: Dan Brouillette/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The obvious obstacles in America’s food-supply chain -- from shuttered meat plants to restocking delays and panic buying -- have largely dissipated. But shock waves remain.
There are millions of pigs that need to get processed fast, before their weights become too burdensome, or farmers will be forced to euthanize the animals. Meanwhile, food sellers like pizza maker Papa John’s International Inc. and Campbell Soup Co. had to bulk up on extra ingredients to avoid further disruption. Kraft Heinz Co., the giant that makes ketchup and cream cheese, had to expand its lists of usual suppliers for some items, while livestock-feed makers were forced to reformulate rations.