Pork industry pundits lay out effects of labor shortages on supply chain
By ramontomeydw // 2021-10-26
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Two pork industry experts have laid out the effects of labor shortages on the supply chain, saying that vaccine mandates by the Biden administration only add fuel to the fire. If the issues are not resolved soon, they warn that everything will collapse just like Jenga blocks. Dennis DiPietre and Lance Mulberry made this warning in an Oct. 21 piece for AgWeb. They said some groceries could only fulfill 70 percent of orders for home delivery. "That would be a deal-breaker in non-COVID times," the two noted. They also talked about a major supplier of ham and bacon facing challenges over the quality and quantity of the raw material they process. But DiPietre and Mulberry noted that the supplier has a more vexing issue – a chronic reduction in its workforce. "The supplier has upped starting salaries by 50 percent, yet is still 25 percent short on a full workforce. The higher-than-normal salaries have raised costs and brought in people who need to be trained, delaying fully competent and efficient execution of the plant. Unfortunately, many of them attracted initially to the high-sounding hourly rate decide this isn't for them and leave sometime soon after training. [This forces] the whole process to start all over again," they wrote. DiPietre and Mulberry also talked about how unemployment benefits are preventing people from returning to the workforce. "Too generous unemployment payments and cash giveaways are keeping people from returning to work." (Related: Over 7M Americans to lose unemployment benefits after Labor Day.) Their sentiments were aligned with that of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (USCC). In a June 8 statement, the chamber urged state governors to end the federal $300 weekly unemployment benefit for their residents. "We are seeing an increasing number of businesses turning down work and only partially reopening because they can't find enough workers," USCC Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley said.

Vaccine mandates worsen the labor shortage

DiPietre and Mulberry elaborated on the effects of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandates on the ongoing labor shortage. They pointed out that "newly-mandated COVID-19 vaccination passports" and "forced vaccinations" in different sectors have undermined the country's current workforce. "Today, there are substantial percentages (30 percent to 60 percent) of airline pilots, military personnel, hospital and clinic nurses and doctors, teachers, police, firefighters, truck drivers, utility workers and federal government workers … who are refusing vaccination and, therefore, have become subject to termination," they wrote. "It is estimated in the military that 80 percent to 90 percent of special forces personnel are refusing vaccination and are subject to discharge." The pork industry experts added that "the firings have begun and will continue through Thanksgiving." (Related: National security alert: Thousands of U.S. Special Forces and combat troops discharged as total force 'vaccination' decimates military readiness.) Jeffrey Prather, the host of "Prather Point" on Brighteon.TV, confirmed the compulsory vaccination in the armed forces. During the Oct. 15 episode of his program, he cited an administrative memo from the Navy requiring both active and reserve personnel to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Active-duty members must complete their vaccination not later than Nov. 28 while reservists must complete theirs not later than Dec. 28. The Navy memo also stated that service members declining the injection "shall be processed for administrative separation." Senior Navy leaders refusing the vaccine will be given five days to perform corrective action, with non-compliant officers to be relieved and discharged. DiPietre and Mulberry ultimately warned: "Politicians at the federal level and in some states are playing a giant Jenga game with the integrated supply chains and national defense of this nation. You pull out the wrong piece and the whole system collapses. When [the supply chain issues morph] into critical shortages of food products, expect law and order to erode quickly." Collapse.news has more articles about the ongoing labor shortages and how they impact the bigger supply chain. Sources include: AgWeb.com USChamber.com Brighteon.com
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