Supply Chain Observations-2024

The bridge collapse in Baltimore will disrupt the supply chain on the east coast. Mostly vehicles and parts from overseas, but also sugar that we all use. There is already a sugar shortage, sugar is at $3.99 for a 4 lb bag now, how much more will it go up:

https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/sugar-shortage/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/27/baltimore-bridge-collapse-economic-impact-francis-scott-key-us-port-shipping-traffic

I was on Reddit (I know, but I like to keep abreast of how others are thinking). There were several reasoned responses about the hows and whys..but one interesting comment led to a slew of people putting in their 2 cents.

Apparently, Old Bay Seasoning (yes, the stuff you boil shrimp in down south) is not only made in Maryland but the spices come through that port.

They're all stocking up on Old Bay Seasoning.

Just a heads up - LOL

rick1 wrote:The bridge collapse in Baltimore will disrupt the supply chain on the east coast. Mostly vehicles and parts from overseas, but also sugar that we all use. There is already a sugar shortage, sugar is at $3.99 for a 4 lb bag now, how much more will it go up:

https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/sugar-shortage/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/27/baltimore-bridge-collapse-economic-impact-francis-scott-key-us-port-shipping-traffic

Not sure how important the sugar "shortage" is. I just did a quick analysis, and if you factor out Biden's Inflation, sugar only rose about 20% for the "shortage." (Biden can own the rest.)

Like a rock thrown into a pond, the East Coast will take the brunt of the impact from that bridge collapse, but the ripples will spread far and wide.

OTOH, you have to get past 10 paragraphs of pablum before you get to exactly how important that port is:

Baltimore is the ninth busiest port in the US, and the busiest for car shipments, handling at least 750,000 vehicles in 2023, according to data from the Maryland Port Administration. Motor vehicles and parts accounted for 42% of all Baltimore port imports.

Cinnamon wrote:I was on Reddit (I know, but I like to keep abreast of how others are thinking). There were several reasoned responses about the hows and whys..but one interesting comment led to a slew of people putting in their 2 cents.
Apparently, Old Bay Seasoning (yes, the stuff you boil shrimp in down south) is not only made in Maryland but the spices come through that port.
They're all stocking up on Old Bay Seasoning.
Just a heads up - LOL

I think I will leave the "how others are thinking" on Reddit, to you.
Thanks for taking one for the team

That said, we are peppers.
If we depend on a spice, we already have it in our stores.
At least, that is my philosophy.

TRex2 wrote:

Cinnamon wrote:I was on Reddit (I know, but I like to keep abreast of how others are thinking). There were several reasoned responses about the hows and whys..but one interesting comment led to a slew of people putting in their 2 cents.
Apparently, Old Bay Seasoning (yes, the stuff you boil shrimp in down south) is not only made in Maryland but the spices come through that port.
They're all stocking up on Old Bay Seasoning.
Just a heads up - LOL

I think I will leave the "how others are thinking" on Reddit, to you.
Thanks for taking one for the team

That said, we are peppers.
If we depend on a spice, we already have it in our stores.
At least, that is my philosophy.

Oh, yes, we keep plenty on hand. LOL

TRex2 wrote:

rick1 wrote:The bridge collapse in Baltimore will disrupt the supply chain on the east coast. Mostly vehicles and parts from overseas, but also sugar that we all use.

Again, from other sources, my understanding is that the VW port of entry is the only one that is...I guess...downstream/upstream? from the bridge collapse. The rest of the vehicles/car parts come into the port that is now inaccessible. I don't know this for a fact, it is simply what others who seem to be in the know are saying.

Cinnamon wrote:...
Again, from other sources, my understanding is that the VW port of entry is the only one that is...I guess...downstream/upstream? from the bridge collapse. The rest of the vehicles/car parts come into the port that is now inaccessible. I don't know this for a fact, it is simply what others who seem to be in the know are saying.

All ports UpStream from the bridge are cut off from the world.

My previous point was that you have to read ten paragraphs in, before you find out that we are talking about the ninth largest port.

Not the second or third largest: the ninth.

This is still an important port, but not as critical as some others.

Largest egg producer temporarily shuts down, bird flu in beef/chickens. Eggs will skyrocket, again:

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/bird-flu-texas-largest-us-egg-producer-temporarily-shutters-facility-h5n1-virus-found-chickens

1.6 million chickens killed over bird flu:

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/largest-fresh-egg-producer-us-found-bird-flu-chickens-texas-plant-rcna146169

Man infected with bird flu in Texas:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/01/health/bird-flu-cattle-human.html

While the current levels of bird flu are minor (less than 1% of the supply), the question is where might this go, from here. Is this a harbinger of something bigger.

Currently, I don't see signs of anything bigger, but with the speed flu moves, that could change, by next month.

One disturbing sign is the ever expanding list of mammals the H5 viruses can infect. This gives the virus geometrically more paths towards creating pandemic strains, and gives us less warning that an emerging strain has pandemic potential.

Cross reference:
I brought up the "Trucker shortage" in the Threats to our Food Supply thread.
Despite the chance that the threads will get tangled, here is the link:

https://emergencyhomeprep.forumotion.com/t1767p300-threats-to-our-food-supply#17177