The coronavirus situation continues to demand everyone’s immediate attention and is still impacting the food and beverage supply chain. There seems to be an endless stream of news reports related to this situation as well as efforts by a variety of organizations to provide information and/or assistance to those affected.

Food Shippers of America (FSA) has chosen to support the effort being coordinated by the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) rather than try and create a separate support program and likely replicate what others are already doing. FSA has been and will continue posting relevant resource information on the FSA website (www.foodshippersofamerica.org) under the Announcements section (https://www.foodshippersofamerica.org/covid-19).

If you have specific questions or resource needs, please reach out to Paul Newbourne at executivedirector@foodshippersofamerica.org and we will do our best to respond your specific needs.

Food Shippers of America is looking for FSA Member Companies to profile in upcoming issues of the bi-annual Food Shippers of America magazine.

Perhaps your company has a storied history that needs telling, or just surpassed a milestone in its growth expectations! We offer a unique opportunity for FSA Member Companies to share with our readers their company's goals and successes, visions and innovations. 

If you would like your FSA Member Company profile to appear in our print and digital publication, please contact Food Shippers at media_advisor@foodshippersofamerica.org.

Who Is Eligible for FSA Membership?

Thank you to all our members for your support!

Our Summer 2020 issue of Food Shippers of America magazine is now available in digital format for your phone, tablet and computer viewing. This issue features articles from industry leaders on topics ranging from TMS implementation and cost savings to innovative transformations within the supply chains, and a report on the economic forecast before, during and most importanty, after the COVID-19 pandemic. Please click here for immediate access. 

Previous issues of Food Shippers of America may be found in our association website archives, or by clicking here.  

Supply Chain Management Review
Developing a disruptive mindset operates on the certainty that change is inevitable and that all plans are provisional. A commitment to continuous evaluation, staying attentive to changing events, and scrutinizing evolving data will help identify risky environments and get businesses back on track.

Progressive Railroading
COVID-19 continues to negatively impact transportation with U.S. freight-rail traffic falling nearly 22% in the week ending April 11. Only one commodity group—grain—showed any increases, posting 22,237 carloads for the week while coal, motor vehicle parts, and metallic ores all posting lower volumes.

DC Velocity
A bipartisan group of industry leaders from across a variety of American business sectors, including the American Trucking Associations and J.B. Hunt from the trucking industry, have been tapped by White House officials to help draft plans for an economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns.

Journal of Commerce
Shipping and receiving sites are seeing an increase in waiting and unloading times as labor shortages, newly added visitor temperature checks, and COVID-19 form submissions create backups at gates and loading docks.

For a free trial offer, or to subscribe to the Journal of Commerce, please click here.

American Shipper/FreightWaves
East and West Coast ports all report falling volumes, with Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) which operate ports in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington, reporting volume drops of more than 28% in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. NWSA CEO John Wolfe said second quarter volumes will soften further as container shipping lines continue to cancel sailings.

Progressive Railroading
Transport Canada announced new measures aimed at reducing derailments, including speed restrictions on trains with one or more tank cars containing dangerous products, and more specifically, trains carrying crude oil or liquefied petroleum gases in blocks of 20, or more tank cars or more than 35 tank cars interspersed throughout the train.

Supply Chain 24/7
While the TMS market continues to grow, old and new challenges, including driver shortages, freight visibility, and navigating an evolving delivery landscape amid on-going COVID-19 challenges increase the need for innovative technology.

The Packer
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has extended the hours of service exemption through May 15 for truck drivers delivering fresh produce and other food during the COVID-19 pandemic saying, "emergency conditions have not abated."

Supply Chain 247
Attracted by cheap skilled Chinese labor, many businesses in the U.S. and Europe disregarded the first rule of supply chain resiliency—avoid single sourcing. With more than 90% of businesses directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic based in the U.S., industry analysts say the time is right to localize and regionalize supply chains.

The Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) is making its monthly magazine, 3PL Perspectives, available to all FSA members and suppliers. Please click here for a view of TIA's March issue. 

For more information about any articles appearing in 3PL Perspectives, contact Chris Burroughs at burroughs@tianet.org.

Supply Chain 247
As procurement teams struggle to find available suppliers and capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic, business are being hit hard. Vital information in the form of logistics metrics can help shippers track and manage current and future disruptions.

Transport Topics
In response to the CDC's social-distancing guidelines, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has expanded its emergency declaration to include allowing examiners for commercial driver license skills test to be absent from the cab during testing and rely on technology such as in-cab cameras and cell phones to conduct the on-road segment.

DC Velocity
In partnership with nonprofit food group Feeding America, freight network provider Convoy is offering to pay the trucking costs for any shippers looking to donate a truckload of food to a local food bank or soup kitchen.