Food System Support of the Relocation Strategy. Part I. Analysis and Case Study.

Abstract : Different alternatives for distributing food to evacuated populations under crisis relocation conditions are identified and evaluated. Food stocks in existing distribution channels are traced by magnitude and location, and potential system alterations are examined. It appears that the most effective strategy for food distribution under crisis relocation conditions is to allow agricultural output to major processing plants to follow normal distribution channels and to continue using wholesale warehouses in the evacuated area to serve retail outlets and mass feeding centers in outlying areas. A case study of Colorado Springs, Colorado indicates that sufficient food and water resources exist in the regional areas to accommodate the massive population shifts caused by a crisis relocation strategy. Transportation system stress and the possibility of hoarding present the most serious threats to food distribution under evacuation conditions.