Résumé
The upheaval wrought on the U.S. beef industry by the global COVID-19 pandemic carried with it several lessons that might help improve resiliency should there be a reoccurrence. First, the futures market for fed cattle fell well before cash prices, which sent a signal to market cattle early, and those who did so benefited. Second, the decline in futures anticipated the closure of slaughter plants and provided an opportunity to purchase and store beef primals in anticipation of future scarcity. Third, the beef industry has ways of slowing or stopping the pipeline of animals destined for feed yards and can "store" these animals in background feeding facilities or on pasture or rangeland. Producers who waited to sell feeder cattle benefited from higher feeder cattle prices once the processing facilities reopened. Fourth, cow slaughter plants responded to the pandemic and subsequent scarcity of labor much better than large fed-cattle plants. Cow plants are not as sophisticated and complex as fed-cattle plants. This relative simplicity may help explain the superior performance of these plants during the crisis. Sixth, the academic work on the value of building smaller plants as a response against concentration provides mixed results-these plants require more labor per animal and can be even more susceptible to labor scarcity. Seventh, the observed increase in boxed beef prices, even as fed cattle prices fell, demonstrates the risk-mitigating impact of producer ownership of downstream activities in the value chain.
Résumé
The upheaval wrought on the U.S. beef industry by the global COVID-19 pandemic carried with it several lessons that might help improve resiliency should there be a reoccurrence. First, the futures market for fed cattle fell well before cash prices, which sent a signal to market cattle early, and those who did so benefited. Second, the decline in futures anticipated the closure of slaughter plants and provided an opportunity to purchase and store beef primals in anticipation of future scarcity. Third, the beef industry has ways of slowing or stopping the pipeline of animals destined for feed yards and can "store"these animals in background feeding facilities or on pasture or rangeland. Producers who waited to sell feeder cattle benefited from higher feeder cattle prices once the processing facilities reopened. Fourth, cow slaughter plants responded to the pandemic and subsequent scarcity of labor much better than large fed-cattle plants. Cow plants are not as sophisticated and complex as fed-cattle plants. This relative simplicity may help explain the superior performance of these plants during the crisis. Sixth, the academic work on the value of building smaller plants as a response against concentration provides mixed results - these plants require more labor per animal and can be even more susceptible to labor scarcity. Seventh, the observed increase in boxed beef prices, even as fed cattle prices fell, demonstrates the risk-mitigating impact of producer ownership of downstream activities in the value chain. © 2022 the author(s), published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston 2022.
Résumé
Background. Return of infections caused by common respiratory viruses (RV)may be expected with the relaxation and/or removal of infection preventionmeasures instituted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we examined respiratory virus detection (RVD) rates in Wisconsin during the COVID-19 period, and whether ambulatory antibiotic prescribing for respiratory complaints has increased with return of typical RVs. Methods. The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene's Viral Surveillance program collects RVD data from >130 laboratories across the state for influenza (FLU), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), seasonal coronaviruses (sCOR), parainfluenza virus (PARA), enteroviruses/rhinoviruses (E/R), and human metapneumovirus (hMPV). Data were collected from 1/1/2015 to 4/30/2022. Antibiotic prescribing for ambulatory care patients presenting with respiratory complaints was collected from our EHR, which utilizes a required order form for all ambulatory antibiotic prescriptions. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney Rank Sum and Spearman's rank correlation. Results. In the first year after COVID-19 onset, E/R and sCOR were detected at low levels while other RVs were essentially nil. After 4/2021, when infection prevention measures (i.e. mask mandates) were significantly relaxed or removed, RVDs increased for all viruses. At present, RVDs have returned to typical rates (except of FLU, Fig. 1) and seasonality variation (except of RSV, Fig. 1). Antibiotic prescribing for respiratory complaints has increased 57% in this period (3.5 to 5.5 prescriptions/1000 encounters, Fig. 2) and continues to trend up with RV activity. Prescribing rates are strongly correlated with RVD rates, but most strongly correlated with non-FLU, non-RSV RVD rates (Spearman correlation 0.71). Conclusion. In general, RVs have returned to pre-pandemic rates with seasonality. Interestingly, this return was associated with the relaxation/removal of infection prevention measures in the second year post-COVID-19 onset, and does not appear to be impacted by ongoing COVID-19 waves. Antibiotic prescribing in ambulatory care continues to be highly associated with RV activity, indicating this should remain a high priority of ambulatory stewardship education and intervention. (Figure Presented).
Résumé
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is potentially associated with numerous changes in the life of the general population;nevertheless, to date there is hardly any evidence on which effects are experienced as particularly severe and negative, how these effects and their evaluations changed over the course of the pandemic and which wishes for support arose in this context. Method: Longitudinal data from an online study with 10 assessments over the first 2 years of the pandemic (March 2020-April 2022) were analyzed in a mixed methods approach. The sample of 8337 adults from the general population in Germany answered qualitative free text questions about the most severe consequences of the pandemic on their lives and need/wishes for support. In addition, the evaluation of the consequences over the course of the pandemic and their associations with psychological distress were quantitatively examined. Results: The consequences experienced and especially their evaluation changed over the course of the pandemic. On average, consequences targeting social and life in general aspects were experienced as particularly severe and negative. Negatively experienced consequences were cross-sectionally and partly also longitudinally associated with stronger anxiety and depressive symptoms. Psychotherapeutic and evaluative communicative support was particularly frequently requested in the context of the pandemic. Conclusion: Subjectively negatively experienced consequences of the pandemic should if possible be mitigated by adequate measures. The dynamic changes of the consequences and thus also the need for support over the course of the pandemic should be taken into account. Possible support options range from very low-threshold offers (e.g., tips online) up to psychotherapy.
Résumé
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is potentially associated with numerous changes in the life of the general population;nevertheless, to date there is hardly any evidence on which effects are experienced as particularly severe and negative, how these effects and their evaluations changed over the course of the pandemic and which wishes for support arose in this context. Method: Longitudinal data from an online study with 10 assessments over the first 2 years of the pandemic (March 2020–April 2022) were analyzed in a mixed methods approach. The sample of 8337 adults from the general population in Germany answered qualitative free text questions about the most severe consequences of the pandemic on their lives and need/wishes for support. In addition, the evaluation of the consequences over the course of the pandemic and their associations with psychological distress were quantitatively examined. Results: The consequences experienced and especially their evaluation changed over the course of the pandemic. On average, consequences targeting social and life in general aspects were experienced as particularly severe and negative. Negatively experienced consequences were cross-sectionally and partly also longitudinally associated with stronger anxiety and depressive symptoms. Psychotherapeutic and evaluative communicative support was particularly frequently requested in the context of the pandemic. Conclusion: Subjectively negatively experienced consequences of the pandemic should if possible be mitigated by adequate measures. The dynamic changes of the consequences and thus also the need for support over the course of the pandemic should be taken into account. Possible support options range from very low-threshold offers (e.g., tips online) up to psychotherapy.
Résumé
It is reported that the USDA outlook for US agriculture in 2021 is generally positive. Most agricultural markets, including the major markets for Iowa, have recovered from the depths of the price declines that struck during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the basic statistics (such as production, exports, imports, and prices) for cattle/beef, pigs/pigmeat, maize and soyabeans are presented.
Résumé
Haiti's Central Plateau region suffers from significant malnutrition, economic hardship, and a crisis level of food insecurity. Already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, Haiti has pervasively high malnutrition rates, but the Central Plateau is among the most severely affected areas. One in five children of the Central Plateau suffers from malnutrition, and the region exhibits a devastating 30% rate of child stunting. Our US-based team affiliated with Klinik Sen Jozef, a community-respected medical clinic in the Central Plateau city of Thomassique. We partnered with local Haitian leadership, a local agronomist, and Trees That Feed Foundation to introduce breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) and an innovative development model to combat local malnutrition. Five years into the program, we have partnered with 152 farmers, and we have enhanced our malnutrition program with breadfruit derivatives. This report addresses the lessons we learned to assist others looking to introduce models or crops in a similar manner. Our experience is particularly significant in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, as supply chain disruptions have worsened food insecurity for more than 800 million people in low-income countries.
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This working paper describes how COVID-19 affected the pork packing industry, gives an overview of this industry, and measures changes in regional slaughter volumes in 2020. We find different effects of COVID-19 across regions. Some regions experienced a prolonged decline in hog slaughter compared with 2019, while in other regions sharp declines only lasted a few weeks. Slaughter counts in the major pork-producing regions declined for three weeks at the end of April and early May but recovered to 2019 levels by June 2020. Minor processing regions had mixed reactions to the pandemic. For instance, Region 2 (New Jersey and New York) experienced a large decline in slaughter, but, unlike major processing regions, the shock persisted throughout the year-slaughter rates were lower than 2019 levels. Overall, most regions in 2020 had increases in total slaughter compared with 2019, suggesting the industry suffered at the beginning of the pandemic but adjusted production and at least partially recovered.
Résumé
This article discusses the gradual recovery of the US agricultural sector during the pandemic. The first impact of the pandemic lowered agricultural prices, forced significant shifts in supply chains, and disrupted markets. However, as the summer progressed, there was some recovery in prices, supply chains realigned with consumer demand, and the markets rebalanced to the new conditions under COVID-19. To explore the extent of recovery in the US agricultural sector, the author updated the previous comparison of USDA's meat, corn, and soybean projections. The previous comparison ran from January 2020 (before the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States) to USDA's June outlook. This update incorporates the changes from the most recent outlook, released in mid-October 2020, and reflects not only the impact of COVID-19, but also the progress on the US/China phase one trade deal and the natural disasters that struck the Midwest (drought and derecho). This article presents data that showed that while the initial impacts from COVID-19 struck nearly all US agricultural markets at the same time, the recoveries from that shock vary heavily and are still ongoing. For most of the meats and corn, the recovery thus far is partial-meats have seen better production, but lower prices, and corn has experienced lower production, but better prices, mostly due to factors other than COVID-19. Soybeans are the only commodity where we could argue the recovery is complete, as production and prices exceed pre-COVID-19 forecasts. However, 2020 is still a very challenging year in agriculture, but not quite as challenging as first envisioned.
Résumé
Just like other sectors of the economy, the US agricultural sector has seen an economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As various economic sectors resume activity, businesses are adjusting to living with the virus. Agricultural producers and USDA are reevaluating commodity markets and changing outlooks for the rest of the year. Schulz and Hart compare USDA's meat, corn, and soybean projections from January 2020 with the most recent update, released in mid-June 2020, and find that the outlook changes are much more concentrated on prices than production.