Pumpkin supply in the United States impacted by extreme weather and supply chain issues

With Halloween just over a week away, things could start looking a bit scarier in stores. There's more than just a shortage of Halloween supplies in stores across the country. Now, there's a shortage of pumpkins. Consumers could soon see fewer pumpkins and pumpkin products and begin to pay higher prices for what is available. Drought conditions in the West have made this farming season difficult, said one California farmer. "Between the hot weather, no water, the smoke from the fires, the hot early weather, it’s all hurt," farmer Joe Cates said. "It’s been a rough year."CALIFORNIA TRUCKING INDUSTRY LEADER WARNS WORKER SHORTAGE, SHIP BACKLOGS CREATING ‘PERFECT STORM’However, there's also concerns with shipping, according to the American Truck Driver's Association. The national truck driver shortage continues to disrupt the supply chain across the country, so finding canned pumpkin for a traditional homemade pumpkin pie could become a problem. "Is it better to have it all happen in ...