Preparing for Coronavirus?

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

We are fully online for summer and just received an email informing us that we 'may' be online in the fall.

[arcturus]

AmLitHist - I don't know if this would be covered by ADA, but it is certainly worth arguing that a *planned* online course is likely to be better for both students and instructor than one put together at the last minute. Thus, in the interest of the students, you would like to change the mode of delivery for your fall classes now, so that everyone has some certainty in their planning. Further, the fact that you might be teaching all online classes for the fall semester does not mean that you are online only (or "fully online") for the academic year.  Furthermore, in my department at an R1 state flagship school, the online courses fill before the f2f, so your enrollment might increase under this scenario as well. This all assumes that students on campus can register for online versions of classes without extra hurdles, or costs, of course.

[Vkw10]

We received an email today about new method of submitting remote work agreements for approval, when the original 30-day agreements expire. Employees may now submit forms to work remotely until June 30. For a university that normally requires presidential approval for temporary remote work, encouraging two month remote work extensions is amazing. It's also a bit disheartening to many who are finding that 100% work at home can be stressful.

[science.expat]

We have a choice and most of the academics and professional staff in my school are working from home. As head of school, I'm coming in daily to fly the flag - and honestly I prefer that to working at home. I was thinking of moving to 3 days in the office, 2 days working from home but Australia is now making noises about relaxing restrictions in about 4 weeks so I probably won't bother.

[pigou]

One social benefit of working from home is that staff don't have to clean your office and cafeterias can close (or operate with less staff). Lots of people don't have discretion about whether and where to work... but they may better off working even at some risk if they don't otherwise get paid.

[hmaria1609]

Major announcements regarding schools in MD and DC earlier today:
https://wtop.com/coronavirus/2020/04/coronavirus-updates-new-covid-19-cases-continue-climb-dc-makes-school-announcement/
DC joins VA to continue online classes for the remainder of the school year.

[science.expat]

One social benefit of working from home is that staff don't have to clean your office and cafeterias can close (or operate with less staff). Lots of people don't have discretion about whether and where to work... but they may better off working even at some risk if they don't otherwise get paid.

Our retail outlets are private and we're being encouraged to support them through this crisis.

[spork]

This morning the shelves at the nearby low-end "save more" supermarket were about half empty -- fresh produce, meat, canned goods, everything. The company's supply chains are getting worse, not better. 

[Cheerful]

This morning the shelves at the nearby low-end "save more" supermarket were about half empty -- fresh produce, meat, canned goods, everything. The company's supply chains are getting worse, not better.

I've been concerned about this for awhile.  I received many fewer, basic items I requested for my last curbside grocery pick-up than the previous one.  Large grocery store.

Consider all of the restaurant produce, meat, eggs, etc. not now being used by restaurants.  I understand some of this food has been channeled to food banks.  Is there any left after that to send to grocery stores?

Some farmer buried onions because "people don't make onion rings at home" like restaurants do. 
US Ag Secretary said "there is not a supply problem, there is a demand problem."  And what is the solution?

[clean]

Dairy farmers are dumping milk and produce farmers are plowing under fields. 
Why not make cheese and butter?  Some of the production lines are set to make industrial sized cheeses and it is expensive to retool the lines to make consumer sized packages, and I wonder if the grocery stores have need for additional stores of milk and cheese or ice cream or butter...
The farmer in Florida that plowed under his tomatoes and dumped the squash and zukini (however you spell it... and as I dont really like it, Im not going to look it up!) noted that the tomatoes were too far along to redistribute to grocery stores - that they would be spoiled by the time they hit the shelves.  He did, however, donate A  LOT to closer food pantries. 

It is hard to retool these kinds of productions quickly.

The other shoe to drop:
Did you buy a Christmas tree last year?  Was it more expensive than you remembered them being in earlier years?  Well, the trees from last year were primarily planted after the 2008/2009 financial crisis when the tree growers had less money, so they planted fewer trees.  Similarly, there could be repercussions as farmers try to decide what or whether to plant this season. 
Our meat supply is primarily industrial.  We dont have 'mom and pop' pig farms. They are huge factory farms and the meat processing plants are likewise industrial.  When they are unable to operate, then the chain backs up.  If you can not process pigs into beacon, or chicks into chicken sandwiches, then what?  Already there is news that the chicken factories are destroying eggs to reduce the chicks that can go to the raising barns as there isnt room for new chickens when the older ones are still here.
Processors that are operating are having to do different cuts to deal with the differences in consumer tastes and restaurant tastes/needs.

Anyway, I see that it may be time to purchase pork and chicken if you can find it and have room to freeze some, assuming that you want to eat pork or chicken soon.  Fresh veggies are going to be hit and miss, I think.  GIven that the farmers are plowing under fields, you would expect to see a huge drop in prices for fresh veggies, but frankly, I m not aware of that.  (I dont venture to the store anymore, though, as there is nothing I need that Im willing to die for just now, so IF you are seeing greatly reduced prices, Id be interested to hear it).  IF farmers are reluctant to replant, then in another 3 months, prices of veggies may well be much higher and harder to find, not just for retail, but for restaurants as well (if they are open for dine in customers).

[Puget]

Supply chain problems must be hitting different areas at different times. After about a month with many missing staples (though still plenty of food overall), when I went to the store late last week everything was pretty well stocked-- they even had a limited supply of TP! e.g., stores went from no eggs at all about a month ago, to store-brand regular eggs only with a 2-dozen limit about 2 weeks ago, to now having the free-range eggs back in stock with no limits.

Those worried about the supply chain where they live, or just wanting to support local small farmers, should look into whether there are CSA farm shares available in their area. I've been getting one for years, and it seem more important now than ever. (Also starting my own garden, which I've been wanting for a long time and finally have the yard for- world's shortest supply chain).

[Anselm]

Supply chain problems must be hitting different areas at different times. After about a month with many missing staples (though still plenty of food overall), when I went to the store late last week everything was pretty well stocked-- they even had a limited supply of TP! e.g., stores went from no eggs at all about a month ago, to store-brand regular eggs only with a 2-dozen limit about 2 weeks ago, to now having the free-range eggs back in stock with no limits.

Those worried about the supply chain where they live, or just wanting to support local small farmers, should look into whether there are CSA farm shares available in their area. I've been getting one for years, and it seem more important now than ever. (Also starting my own garden, which I've been wanting for a long time and finally have the yard for- world's shortest supply chain).

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-seeds-americans-grow-food/

Some seed companies said they've temporarily stopped taking new orders after seeing an overwhelming surge in demand. The increase in orders is "just unbelievable," said George Ball, chairman of Burpee Seeds, a 144-year-old seed company in Pennsylvania. The company closed to new orders last week because it needed time to catch up, although it plans to start accepting them again on Wednesday.

[Puget]

Supply chain problems must be hitting different areas at different times. After about a month with many missing staples (though still plenty of food overall), when I went to the store late last week everything was pretty well stocked-- they even had a limited supply of TP! e.g., stores went from no eggs at all about a month ago, to store-brand regular eggs only with a 2-dozen limit about 2 weeks ago, to now having the free-range eggs back in stock with no limits.

Those worried about the supply chain where they live, or just wanting to support local small farmers, should look into whether there are CSA farm shares available in their area. I've been getting one for years, and it seem more important now than ever. (Also starting my own garden, which I've been wanting for a long time and finally have the yard for- world's shortest supply chain).

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-seeds-americans-grow-food/

Some seed companies said they've temporarily stopped taking new orders after seeing an overwhelming surge in demand. The increase in orders is "just unbelievable," said George Ball, chairman of Burpee Seeds, a 144-year-old seed company in Pennsylvania. The company closed to new orders last week because it needed time to catch up, although it plans to start accepting them again on Wednesday.

I've heard this too-- in my case it's just that I'm finally out of an apartment and into my own house with a yard. I wonder how successful some of the brand new gardeners will be and if they will stick with it after this summer?

[Economizer]

My ex-daughter-in-law has been lecturing, teaching, and preaching about composting, and sustainment agriculture in the small university city in which I reside for the past 8 or so years. She has had quite a few projects and numerous subscribers going along with her. God bless her pea-pickin' heart!

[clean]

Pork Industry problems (as I predicted above)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/us-pork-farmers-panic-as-virus-ruins-hopes-for-great-year/ar-BB12X24K?li=BBnbfcL

ALSO
Octoberfest Cancelled!


https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/germanys-oktoberfest-scrapped-over-virus-in-blow-to-beer-industry/ar-BB12Yc7e

Possible beer shortage all next year!!