Story at-a-glance
- In 2019, there were only two reported fires at U.S. food processing plants
- From January 2021 to April 21, 2022, at least 20 such fires were reported — a sizable jump — and they seem to be accelerating in recent weeks
- People are beginning to take notice of these seemingly random fires and accidents that are occurring with increasing frequency at food processing plants across the U.S.
- Meanwhile, leaders around the world have warned that, due to the war in Ukraine — which is considered the world’s bread basket — food shortages are coming, while disruptions to shipping and increased fertilizer prices are also driving up food costs
- Could this all be coincidence, driving up food prices to record highs and causing food shortages, or is something more sinister going on?
We’re living in an unprecedented time when strange happenings continue to occur in quick succession. In March 2021, a massive container ship became wedged across the Suez Canal in Egypt — blocking “an artery of world trade,” triggering a rise in oil prices and leading to fallout that affected shipping around the globe.1