A number of variables could cause a shortage at the grocery store, which could spell concern for the US food supply in the near future.
Farmers and other producers in the United States will be under pressure in 2023 as a result of inflation, unfriendly weather, and government regulations.
In an appearance with Fox News on Tuesday, Stephanie Nash, a conservative activist with Turning Point USA and a fourth-generation descendant of dairy farmers in Tennessee and California, said that the nation is on the verge of a supply crisis.
“I believe 2023 is going to be rough. Worse than this year,” Nash warned.
“We’re going to have a supply chain shortage, we’re going to have an increase in our food [prices] at the grocery store.”
Nash attributed this to a variety of issues, such as inflation, drought and extreme cold, as well as onerous Department of Agriculture regulations that affect farmers and other food producers.
According to Nash, family farmers in particular are feeling the squeeze. Some have even been forced to burn hay to keep their crops warm.
“Where’s politicians and where’s the USDA when we are trying to save our crops and our animals from weather devastation? she asked.”
“And they want to tell us how to do our job on the side with regulations.”
Nash cited California, where she previously lived, as an example of a state whose policies were detrimental to agriculture.
“California, they have tons of regulations, with air quality, with water coalitions, just being able to get resources they need,” she said.
“It’s like they’re pushing us into a corner to go out of business.”
Since then, Nash and her family have relocated to Tennessee, a place with a lot less bureaucracy.
However, she asserted that smaller farms will find it challenging to remain in operation in 2023 regardless of where farmers are.
If you look at Big Corp, Big Government, they are the ones killing off family farmers and ranchers and reaping the benefit of Americans at the grocery store,” Nash said.
“That’s the truth of what is happening in America, and that’s the truth of what will happen if we don’t start to wake up and support local.”
Not only Nash but others have predicted shortages.
In November, the food-focused website Mashed compiled a list of foods and food products that might be considerably more difficult to find in the coming year, citing a range of news sources, food authorities, and research organizations.
Bread, corn, butter, tomatoes, vegetable oil, and even champagne and beer are among them.
According to research by the international consulting firm McKinsey & Co., the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a nation with an agricultural output that makes it the world’s bread basket, is predicted to cut crop production by between “35 and 45 percent.”
All of these elements, both natural and man-made, have the potential to cause significant issues for American agriculture and consumers.
The Western Journal was the original publication of this article.
