some areas, until food was shipped there from other areas.

Most of the Nation's remaining food supplies would be usable after an
attack. Since radiation passing through food does not contaminate it,
the only danger would be the actual swallowing of fallout particles that
happened to be on the food itself (or on the can or package containing
the food), and these could be wiped or washed off. Reaping, threshing,
canning and other processing would prevent any dangerous quantities of
fallout particles from getting into processed foods. If necessary to
further protect the population, special precautions would be taken by
food processors.

Water systems might be affected somewhat by radioactive fallout, but the
risk would be small, especially if a few simple precautions were taken.
Water stored in covered containers and water in covered wells would not
be contaminated after an attack, because the fallout particles could not
get into the water. Even if the containers were not covered (such as
buckets or bathtubs filled with emergency supplies of water), as long as
they were indoors it is highly unlikely that fallout particles would get
into them.

Practically all of the particles that dropped into open reservoirs,
lakes, and streams (or into open containers or wells) would settle to
the bottom. Any that didn't would be removed when the water was filtered
before being pumped to consumers. A small amount of radioactive material
might dissolve in the water, but at most this would be of concern for
only a few weeks.

Milk contamination from fallout is not expected to be a serious problem
after an attack. If cows graze on contaminated pasture and swallow