Data Science Maps Supply Chains of Every US City

Now here is something that could be quite useful and the data used for other applications. Use predictively.  Extend it outside the US.  Examining.   Lets continue to keep it up to date.  Somehow have not been hearing the term 'data fusion' used much of late, should be.

Data Scientists Map Supply Chains of Every U.S. City
By Northern Arizona University in ACM

Some food in the kitchen of most U.S. residents probably started life in Fresno, Calif.

The evidence? Vegetables and other products flow through a supply chain that moves them from where they're grown to where they're used. That supply chain is tracked through data, and the data can paint a powerful picture of how food, water, and energy move throughout the United States. The data illustrates how every corner of America is connected.

FEWSION is a data fusion project that maps the food, energy, and water supply chains for every community in the United States. The project is the brainchild of Benjamin Ruddell, an associate professor in the School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems at Northern Arizona University, who leads a multi-institution team of engineers and data scientists. FEWSION maps are now available for public use through the FEW-View website, allowing people to see whether their gas prices could be affected by a Gulf Coast hurricane (Possibly, the data says) or how much New Englanders should worry about water shortages on the other side of the country (A lot). This data was collected by hundreds of researchers at federal agencies and universities throughout the country and for the first time has been put into a searchable and visual form for anyone to use.

"This is a way to see that big data, to see your supply chains, see your lifelines," Ruddell says. "We look at exposure. If you have a lot of exposure in your supply chain, there is a strong potential for you to be affected by a drought, storm, or decision far away."  ... "