There is perhaps no more dramatic an example of the destruction plaguing America’s food supply chain than this: Thousands of pigs are rotting on compost heaps as grocers run out of meat.
As travel restrictions disrupt life for hundreds of thousands of migrant workers crucial at this time of year, growers and governments around the world are renting planes and rallying students, waiters and even prisoners to fill the gap.
As companies describe how they weathered a quarter most people would like to forget, here are some other examples of how big supply chains are holding up.
The closure of Meiwah, a local favorite in the Maryland suburb of Chevy Chase, set off a supply-chain reaction that stretched far beyond the neighborhood. Multiplied by thousands, it helps show how a pandemic has triggered the worst recession for almost a century.
From cubicles to factory floors, cafes to clothing boutiques, businesses around the world are dreaming up creative ways to reopen, attempting to start revenue flowing again while minimizing the risk to customers and employees.
COVID-19 is about to put the global trading system through its most dramatic stress-test since World War II, with supply lines for essential food and medical goods entering a critical phase as the pandemic peaks in the U.S. and Europe.