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Supply chain roadblock #1: LABOR

The Chair of the House Ag Committee is calling attention to the severe shortage of truck drivers and its impact on the food supply chain.

Congressman David Scott of Georgia testified before the committee’s hearing Wednesday.

“If there is an Achilles heel in our challenge, it rests with this huge vacancy in our truck drivers,” he says.

Scott says not only is there a shortage, but 90 percent of truck drivers don’t last one year according to the industry, and there needs to be a major recruitment and retention plan to address shortfalls.

Jon Samson, representing the Agricultural & Food Transporters Conference and American Trucking Association, says more than 80 percent of ag commodities exclusively rely on trucking, but there are at least 80,000 positions open today.

“These retention issues, bringing on new drivers, attracting new drivers, has been an extraordinarily difficult task,” he says.

Ranking Member Glenn “GT” Thompson echoed Scott’s concern saying the industry is in a crisis and he would like a series of hearings to identify and move forward with solutions.

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