Exploring the Supply Chain: How Local Food Gets From Farm to Table

In partnership with: Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development

Farmers work long and hard to produce food for the community and the nation. This is especially true in Michigan, which produces more than 300 different commodities. But unless the animals and crops manage to make it from farm to table, it’s all for naught. That is where the supply chain comes into play. Understanding this critical element of the food network is especially important in these changing times.

Food Supply Chain 101

Dr. Brent Ross is an associate professor of food and agribusiness strategy at Michigan State University, where his teaching focuses primarily on entrepreneurship and innovation in the modern food system.

“Food supply chains vary dramatically from commodity to commodity and producer to producer,” Ross says. “They may be long or short, specialized or diversified, local or global. But at a fundamental level, all food supply chains consist of the same general set of stakeholders.” Input suppliers, ranchers and farmers, and processors and manufacturers all contribute to the production of food, which then goes to distributors, retailers and food service providers. At that point, the food is marketed to the end consumer.

See more: How the Food Supply Chain Works

There have been many changes in the organization of food supply chains over the years. In the 1990s, there was a wave of consolidation as the industry focused on efficiency. While this focus is still prevalent today, the latest strategies also include an emphasis on sustainability, transparency and resiliency.

The Business of Beef

George Quackenbush, executive director of the Michigan Beef Industry Commission, believes beef has one of the most complex supply chains compared to other food products.

“Cattle farmers and ranchers typically specialize in one segment of our industry based on their unique resources and expertise, while cattle move through the supply chain on their way to the consumer,” he says.

Cattle often change ownership at livestock auction markets or are brokered through cattle dealers as they move from one segment to the next. The feedlot is the final growing stage, where they reach mature market weight before going to a packer to be processed. From there, the beef might be shipped to a further processor or sold directly to a restaurant or grocery store before ultimately reaching our dinner table.

“It takes a full community of people working together to bring beef from the pasture to the plate, and we’re fortunate in Michigan to have participants in every segment of the agricultural industry,” Quackenbush says.

Pork Production Goes Local

There’s a phrase in the pork industry called just-in-time production, which essentially means farmers start the supply chain process nine to 10 months before their hogs go to market. Animals are bred, born, weaned, raised and finished in this window of time before being processed and arriving at the market for purchase.

“We have one pork-processing plant in Michigan,” Mary Kelpinski says. As chief executive officer of the Michigan Pork Producers Association, she and her association represent all the pork producers in the state. “Before this facility opened, 90% of our pigs would travel outside of the state for processing.”

Opening an in-state processing plant benefits the animals, producers and, ultimately, the consumers. “Producers here in Michigan no longer have to worry about the extra cost in transportation, which contributes to lower prices,” Kelpinski says. “This proved helpful with some of the supply chain disruptions we saw early on in the pandemic.”

See more: How Michigan Food Companies are Creating Packaging with a Purpose

Consumer Understanding

The final price of a product ultimately comes down to supply and demand, which is directly affected by numerous factors throughout the supply chain. American consumers continue to receive food raised responsibly and sustainably, thanks to the diligence and persistence of farmers and ranchers across the country.