10/10/08 No grocery stores

I'm Jeff Keane; stay right here through this break and we'll leave the rangelands and feedlots to talk about grocery stores. It might not seem like discussing grocery stores would have a place on an American Rancher segment, but for producers of food including beef these supermarkets and Mom and Pops are an important sector to merchandise our products. The concern that was brought out by an editorial in Drovers magazine by Suzanne Bopp is that there are many areas of larger cities that do not have a grocery store of any type, big or small. Ms. Bopp relates the most notable city sections without a fresh food outlet are the poorer neighborhoods where security costs; employee turnover and theft take their toll on stores being able to remain open. You know, I could see where this theft is not only costly to store owners but it also robs customers of the chance to select a healthy diet. The editorial observes that fast food chains do seem to be able to remain in business. Well these establishments do move meat and vegetable products but not in the volume or variety that creates a robust market for producers. Ms. Bopp also points out the correlation between individual's health problems and the distance from a grocery store. Some cities are trying mobile markets, shuttle services, or bringing in farmer's markets to alleviate the vacuum. I think there just might be a big opportunity here for the right person with the right idea  people do need access to food. I'm Jeff Keane. Drovers September 2008