I spoke with a good friend and longtime associate who is now working for one of the sizeable broad line distribution suppliers. He shared some of the issues they have been experiencing due to the pandemic — but before I tell this story, I want to thank everyone who has been working daily to keep goods of all types flowing to the masses. Your efforts are noticed and need to be recognized and praised more often. I can live without a new fly-fishing reel but we would all be going hungry if it weren’t for the workers risking themselves from one end to the other in our national food chain.

Back to sharing a small segment of our discussion with you: The Friday before Father’s Day, his company had offered the warehouse staff $200 extra for showing up and working their shifts. In addition, a free case of the produce of their choice, strip steaks and a fully catered lunch and dinner for an eight-hour shift. Staffing requirements, with all the pandemic regulations and protocols, constitute 48 individuals a shift. Even before the shift started that morning, 24 workers had either called out sick or were no-shows from the previous day.

The regular average amount of orders for this distributor to pull pre-Covid-19 would fill about 35 trailers. They received enough orders for more than 60 trailers and had to cap it at 45 containers, which meant that some 300-plus establishments did not receive their orders.

This does harm from the beginning of the chain to the end. This scenario is playing out all over our country. It seems our industry takes another hit, and they keep on coming.

Nationally we are again seeing a rise of new virus cases from states that moved to reopen around Memorial Day. Was it a good idea to loosen the safety guidelines set forth, and ignore scientific recommendations for the size of gatherings deemed acceptable along with not wearing PPE masks? Many states are hitting the pause button before jumping into their next phase of reopening and opting to continue their “settle in place” restrictions while we all watch and wait. Florida reached almost 10,000 new cases, the highest one-day total to date.

As this virus rages on, we have heard from many citizens a call to arms for patriotism. Instead of becoming one nation against the enemy (Covid-19 … not the other political party!) folks are exposing themselves because they feel their liberties are being abused. As I see it, the individuals claiming foul and resisting to conform to scientific facts are less than patriotic to all their fellow citizens.

There are no easy solutions, no easy answers and no way of knowing what’s to come. At the very least, we should respect and value each other’s lives.

Where do you fall on these issues?

Live well … Stay safe, keep washing your hands and please wear a mask when going out. Happy 4th to all.

Supply chain breakdown or hiccup?

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