Glad you are doing well, but "I don't see shortages" does not mean they're not happening. I think we haven't even begun to see the real shortages myself. For one, it takes months before the affects nearly a world away reach us. We will see the affects of a global food crisis LAST. What you want to do, rather than watch store shelves, is pay attention to world news. Look for the collapse and famine in impoverished countries that rely on things like imported grain. If you see that, you know the threat is real and there's nothing that can be done to stop it at that point. It'll reach your doorstep eventually.
Food shortages in US and Canada at this point can be caused by recent food processing plants impacted by catastrophic problems like fires, explosions, etc... In 2022, there have been several food processing plants (particularly meats) that have gone offline. Some stores have already felt the affects as prices soar or food becomes unavailable.
- https://kingcityrustler.com/taylor-farms-plans-to-rebuild-salinas-facility-after-4-alarm-fire/
- https://www.ktsa.com/fire-causes-over-100000-in-damages-at-san-antonio-food-processing-plant/
- https://www.powderbulksolids.com/food-beverage/explosion-and-fire-reported-cargill-nutrena-feed-mill
- https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/potato-plant-fire-belfast-maine-penobscot-mccrum/
- https://www.localmemphis.com/article/news/3-alarm-fire-at-kellogg-plant/522-bbef6075-cb6b-4ff9-af59-70fe264749bd
- https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/fire-severely-damages-beloved-cobb-county-meat-company/YNSFFX2OPNAVTLHDDK6EVRMLGQ/
- https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/20958-nestle-hot-pockets-plant-still-shuttered
- https://brownfieldagnews.com/news/fire-shuts-down-nebraska-jbs-beef-plant/
There are thousands of food plants that exist and fires happen. They're not this common, but they happen. My point is some areas are not going to feel the affects as much as others. I don't think a few fires is going to make a huge difference. This isn't going to cause a famine or bring USA to its knees. It won't be without impact though. Just like blocked import of baby formula is going to have impact. However, if fires increase and these plants stay closed, that might lead to a major catastrophe in a few years.
I pay attention to world news and what I see is countries announcing they aren't shipping grain exports out. Maybe they are dependent upon Russia for fertilizer but we also get fertilizer imported. They solved any potential fertilizer shortfall by ramping up production here of one of our major suppliers. That tells me that either some countries don't have the capacity to ramp up production, don't make their own fertilizer to begin with or it's possible they are in cahoots to withhold grains to cause famine in third world countries to force those people to migrate. The news isn't always accurate in the portrayal of events either, like the plane that hit a food processing plant didn't hit it at all. It was near the plant not on the plant. Just like a fire could be a small oven fire but lacking any hard evidence the plant was leveled by fire the likelihood of a complete plant shut down is questionable depending upon the size of the manufacturer. My sons worked the food industry quite a bit a few years ago and some of those plants are huge. Here's another thing I find rather odd and bewildering. The store shelves are stocked to the brim, at least here they are. Now last summer that didn't hold true at all. I had a real hard time getting swim pool chemicals for my grand kids pool and remodeling next door paint was a real hit and miss....but China is struggling to stay open amid covid outbreaks. Makes me wonder if it isn't all being manufactured and timed a certain way. Remember last winter the call out on good luck finding Christmas presents? They said massive flooding in China wiped out all their crops and halted manufacturing...but come Christmas there was still stuff to buy.
This is bad logic. For one thing, Russia is the country exporting the grain that stopped exporting grain. They're also the No 1 grain exporter on that hemisphere which means several under developed countries will not get grain. This is also not the only thing they export.
For another thing, fertilizer? What? To grow a crop and harvest it, then export it would take nearly a year. That is something that would need to have been done months before Russia pulled their exports.
That's right. Seek out independent news that isn't owned by a corporation or a political wing. Also, if any news source that parrots a news organization that is owned by a corporation or political wing should be held suspect and considered untrustworthy. We're living in a time where we are now beyond political bias, but political manipulation. Some political parties (world wide) have found that manipulating constituents to want what the politician wants is easier than the politician representing the party or their constituents (the thing they were elected for).