max FACTS
Climate Change Provides New Homes for Pests
Experts say 2020 tied with 2016 for the hottest year on record and that kind of climate change means pests are finding new places to cause agricultural destruction . If not dealt with through prompt , specific actions , the number of people suffering from food insecurity will skyrocket over the coming decades . Pests thrive in geographical locations with hotter temperatures ( but not too hot ) and increased precipitation . When pests reproduce , they carry disease to new areas as they spread out searching for food . Aphids are a pest that can now thrive in new places because the weather is warmer more consistently . Swarms of aphids can carry a virus on their mouths known as Potato virus Y ( PVY ). After transmission to a healthy potato plant , it infects all connected crops and causes a massive loss .
— theecologist . org
Shelves Becoming Bare in UK Supermarkets
On some supermarket fruit and vegetable shelves , there are signs of shortages amid warnings supplies are being squeezed by Brexit red tape at ports . And that is exacerbated by COVID-related staff shortages at food producers . Supermarket Tesco ’ s website listed lettuce , cauliflower packs , oranges , strawberries , raspberries , and blueberries as ‘ out of stock ’ in some areas . Prepared carrots , cauliflower , and broccoli were among the fruit and vegetables listed as being unavailable on Ocado ’ s , another UK grocer . Food industry experts and the cabinet minister with responsibility for Brexit , Michael Gove , warned that problems at the ports are likely to escalate . Freight expert John Shirley says “ the chaos has begun . Organising even the simplest load to Europe has become an almost impossible task due to the mountain of red tape brought in on January 1 .” The Road Haulage Association says there are already logjams that will get worse with border controls in France being tighter under Brexit regulations .
— dailymail . co . uk
26 Percent of Americans Started COVID Gardens
Increased gardening activity was largely driven by people finding themselves at home with more free time , with 26 percent of adult respondents to a Freedonia Group National Online Consumer Survey reporting they started a food garden because of the COVID pandemic . However , many consumers also witnessed supply chain issues over this period , and home growing of food provided a sense of comfort and security . As a result , growth was particularly strong for vegetable gardening . Although it is expected that some new gardeners will not return to the hobby in 2021 , gardening will likely remain above pre-pandemic levels through 2024 as elevated interest in home food production persists and the uptick in remote working is likely to last to some extent . During the initial phases of lockdown , gardening activity boomed nationwide but as many garden supply retailers reported record sales , they also found themselves sold out of products like seeds .
— finance . yahoo . com
24 Maximum Yield