The Logistics of Farm to Fork

Have you ever driven past a cornfield or a dairy farm and wondered how food gets from the farm to your table? It's not as simple as you may think.

Prior to the industrial revolution, available foodstuffs were limited to local and in season items. The machinery necessary to transport food long distances without spoiling didn't exist. Today's food supply chain has been highly refined, relies on calculated logistics, and utilizes advanced machinery to keep your table full of fresh food from anywhere in the world, at any time of year.

The modern food supply chain looks something like this:

Production

During production, farmers cultivate the fruit, vegetables, and livestock you provide your family. At this stage, Papé provides farmers the tools – like tractors and windrowers – necessary to plant, nurture, and harvest food for thousands of communities. With a little help from their Gator utility vehicles, they can easily and quickly maneuver through their property. Working on a farm requires the right pieces of equipment in order to save critical man hours while handling large yields.

Processing

Where does your food go after it leaves the farmer’s property? To processing. Here, your food is prepared, cleaned, and stored as it awaits the next steps in its journey from the farm to your dinner table. Like harvesting, processing requires several pieces of equipment like forklifts and pallet jacks that allow warehouse employees to quickly and effortlessly move the food from its spot in storage to the truck that distributes it to your local grocery store.

Distribution

Food distribution has to run and be maintained like a well-oiled machine. Distribution companies trust heavy duty trucks like Kenworth from Papé to keep their products fresh in temperature controlled trailers. With the reliable Kenworth trucks and the best portable environment, distribution companies can ensure the food you put on your table is as fresh as the day it started its journey.

Consumption

Once at the grocery store, Papé Material Handling equipment reduces the need for manual heavy lifting. Stores depend on this equipment to keep an even and fresh stock of goods on the shelves so you’re only buying the best. These Hyster and Yale forklifts allow your store to transport, warehouse, and display fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products for you and your family.

The right equipment makes it easier for companies to control costs at every point in the food supply chain so they can continue to provide the food that you and your family enjoy every day. Now, as you sit down for dinner tonight, you know a little bit more about how your food got from the farm to your fork. And, if you're in Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Idaho, or Nevada, there's a good chance that Papé had a hand in getting it there.