Biggest Public Relations Problem: I believe that lack of diplomacy in dealing with people can be purchasing’s biggest public relations problem. A purchasing agent’s failure to handle people diplomatically can result in hard feelings between himself and the vendor, or himself and the employee. The P.A. must never forget those people. Whether vendor or employee, they are human beings and deserve to be treated as such. He must learn to listen to their problems and act accordingly.

— A.E. Wiebe, purchasing agent, United-Greenfield Corporation;
Purchasing Week, July 4, 1966

Fertilizer

A potential food-staple shortage: Fertilizer supply chain disruptions will cause “crop supply to likely tighten” in Brazil, Guatemala and other countries, according to a forecast by McKinsey & Company. Extreme climate conditions like droughts, flooding and hurricanes further hamper fertilizer supply, increasing costs and reducing crop yield.

Where does it come from? Fertilizer was born from natural sources: human or animal manure, compost, and waste from animal slaughter or fish processing. Synthetic fertilizer originated in the early 19th century, positively impacting the world’s food systems through bigger crop yields. Most fertilizer comes from nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

What’s it used for? More than half of the 190 million tons of food consumed annually by humans and animals is produced with help from nitrogen fertilizer. Six crops — corn, wheat, rice, vegetables, fruits and soybeans, in order of highest demand — account for two-thirds of global fertilizer use. 

And that’s a fact: In the past two years, the McKinsey report states, commodity and crop prices have consistently increased; 65 percent of U.S. farmers surveyed expect the trend to continue through 2024. They expect to invest in new products and technologies to protect planting and maximize harvest. Controlled irrigation, cover crops and energy sources designed to reduce environmental footprints are also priorities, they said, with farming management system integration, automation and robotics expected to provide greater productivity. 

4% 

Share of U.S. automobile production dedicated to electric vehicles (EVs). With 25 percent of the country’s consumers wanting an EV, the difference in demand and fulfillment can be disparaging. Driving the imbalance is likened to the chicken-and-egg quandary: Which comes first? “For the last two years or so, you’ve seen demand outpace supply,” BloombergNEF analyst Corey Cantor told Bloomberg News. “For me, it’s totally an output question now.”

According to BloombergNEF and market forecaster LMC Automotive, manufacturers indicate that continuing to sell internal-combustion vehicle production is necessary to fund EV innovation. This power struggle leaves the bulk of American-built cars misaligned with sustainability goals. With unsettling inflation and consumer confidence on shaky ground, affordability may be the deciding factor on how the tug-of-war proceeds.