Food Shippers of America (FSA) is continuing to monitor the coronavirus situation and participate in the effort being coordinated by the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN). FSA has been and will continue posting relevant resource information on the FSA website (www.foodshippersofamerica.org) under the Announcements section (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 and team has a storied history that needs telling, just surpassed a milestone in growth expectations, or came through the COVID-19 outbreak with new processes and keener insights for crisis management! 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. 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. 

Supermarket News
The COVID-19 outbreak has created a new standard for clean in commercial grocery store operations and facilities. But what does that entail exactly? Join this free webinar featuring commercial cleaning, robotics and foodservice intelligence SMEs for a look at the latest retail cleaning practices and equipment. 

Webinar: Thursday, May 21 at 2:00 PM EDT.

FreightWaves
Long-haul trucker guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) include recommendations for frequent cleaning and disinfecting of a number of in-cab areas as well as increased hand washing for truckers before, during and after leaving their vehicles.

Supply Chain Management Review
While the COVID-19 outbreak may be considered a black swan event, so were the 2008 financial crisis and the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami, which disrupted supply chains in several countries. Just how can companies with global supply chains better prepare for the next major disruption?

Transport Topics
The long-awaited final regulations governing hours-of-service work for truck drivers was released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration May 14. The codified regulations are intended to increase flexibility for truck drivers, specifically with regard to the 30-minute rest break rule and the split sleeper berth exception.

Supermarket News
Several new bills are being promoted on Capitol Hill for workers in the food and agricultural sectors deemed essential workers during the COVID-19 outbreak, including supermarket and convenience store workers, food supply chain partners, growers, pickers, etc. The bills would supply much needed funds to cover employer liability for worker illnesses as well as federal tax relief and payroll tax exemptions.

FreightWaves
The Union Pacific announced it will cease operations of its multimodal Cold Connect service due to slumping sales as consumer purchasing shifted from frozen and fresh products to shelf-stable foods amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Food Logistics
Despite serious impacts to the food supply chain during the COVID-19 outbreak, companies can count on many yearly trends with regard to freight movement. However, finding balance between profits and customer loyalty and creating relationships with logistics providers to meet on-time/in-full demands will take on greater significance in the coming year.

DC Velocity
Just a day after the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) posted its final ruling on trucking hours of service, the Teamsters Union began pushing back, claiming the added flexibility flies in the face of safety standards and allows drivers to "push themselves to the limit even further," according to Teamsters President Jim Hoffa.

MH&L
In response to food supply chain disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak, The Food Industry Association and agricultural software provider, The Seam, created the Food Industry Exchange, a digital platform that provides FMI retailers/wholesalers much needed information for product discovery and procurement on an ongoing basis.

Supply Chain 24/7
The viability of predictive analytics and data-heavy freight forwarding forecasts has come under fire in the aftermath of marketplace chaos resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak. Shippers would do well to acquaint themselves with the new challenges facing air, sea and land carriers.

American Shipper
After idling for nearly two months because of COVID-19 travel restrictions, several U.S. and Canadian passenger service airlines are retro-fitting their planes and flying on-demand and cargo-only flights to the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the Caribbean as well as several major domestic hubs.

DC Velocity
Washington-based Instructional Technologies Inc is offering a free video that provides driver-specific information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) including regulatory changes, reducing contact touch points and managing stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

DC Velocity
In conjunction with COVID-19 social distancing protocols, J.B. Hunt Transport Services is offering an electronic bill of lading feature for shippers and carriers to digitally sign BOLs. The new app allows drivers to electronically send the eBOL to customers, reducing face-to-face interactions and the need for paper documentation.

Supply Chain Dive
A new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers finds that financial leaders will be further leveraging automation in the coming months in response to major disruptions to supply chains during the COVID-19 outbreak. The move will allow companies to improve speed and accuracy in decision-making during and after a disruptive event.

Supermarket News
Not surprisingly, online grocery shopping enjoyed a major boost in April amid the nation-wide lockdown and shortage of essential products. But health concerns and loss of income are impacting the way customers shop, giving retailers a new challenge when forecasting future sales.