Community Chat

[Carmie]

There has been some discussion on the boards about a possible meat shortage.

My son's best friends wife works in a grocery store in the meat department.  She is a buyer.  Just today she was informed that she will not be able to order her regular supply of meat in the coming weeks.

The shortage is because of so many meat processing plants being closed.  The farmers have started to destroy their animals because they are stuck with them.  The animals must be taken to the market at a certain age.  Once they get passed that age, especially for chickens, they are no longer marketable...and the farmers can't afford to keep feeding them.

I am not trying to creat a panic, but just give a heads up.  If you think you may need meat and have some extra room in your freezer, now is the time to stock up.  The prices will go higher for the products that are available after the shortage.

[willdob3]

@Carmie  Is it all meat? Not all meat processing plants are having problems because of COVID-19. I’d think the others would be fine and doing more business than normal. 

It is a good time to look for local farms for those that can find affordable ones nearby. The price seems to vary a lot.

[beach-mom]

This is SO sad! We need to get money to the farmers so they can feed their livestock. There are so many people living day to day who don't have enough to eat and NEED food. Here we have food, but the chain to get it to people who need it most is broken. I wish there were some way to safely open the processing plants so farmers could use them. 

We're not huge meat eaters, but like red meat once in a while. We also eat chicken, fish, and some pork. We will hurt if there is a shortage, but not as much as people who really need meat to feed their families.

Just another mess - if China had stopped this in Wuhan and not had that festival . . .

[icezeus]

@Carmie 

I have read several articles about this subject just last week. . I went shopping this past weekend and picked up a few meat items, but the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer are stuffed. 

[Porcelain]

Tyson put out a big statement about this saying our food chain is broken. Seems like an irresponsible thing to do. Seems like it would encourage a TP situation.

I know that meat processing plants all over have been having problems due to their insistance on maintaining unsafe working conditions. It's an accepted part of that kind of workplace. If you don't like it, you don't work there, basically.

In a time of epidemic, those practices are causing problems that can't be swept under the rug as usual. Too many people are getting sick and customers are worrying about tainted food. And there's no one in charge who would want to fix it. So yes it's a big cluster of problems that could result in less chicken being available at the store, and no way to fix it for the time being.

I use recipe boxes and they use different suppliers so I expect I will have access to meat from other sources, or suitable replacements.

[Kachina624]

If I had a freezer, which I don't, I'd be looking for a half or quarter of a beef to buy.  I've already filled the limited space I have.

[SharkE]

These types of posts is what starts hoarding and scalping.

People over react and we'll be in the same shape as we were with

toliet paper, flour, yeast.

I was in the stores today and happy to report toliet paper is in abundance. I just walked on by. I checked the flour shelves and

Gold Medal and a cheap house brand was back. I felt confident

that the shortage is turning around.

No need now to report you won't be able to get a piece of beef.

People that can afford will be stocking freezers with briskets, hamburger, steaks, beef roast, pork chops, etc.

We don't need a repeat of the paper goods horror. If that's what you

think, keep to yourself.  I've already seen where a package of minute steaks went from 5-7.00 to 12.00 !    I don't want to become a vegetarian, which probably would be a good thing, but, I'd miss my

cheeseburger.

[SunSprite]

Grocery stores need to start limiting the amount purchased per person right now. 

[Carmie]

@willdob3    I don't know if this will be all meat.  Our local news station has been interviewing farmers and they are really nervous.  They can't get anyone to process their chickens and pigs and they are being offered lower prices.

Many farmers are worried about having to destroy their animals and going out of business. They have already started to "thin out the herd"

I could just be a local problem...or not. I don't know.  We should all be prepared anyway. This could end up being a long term problem.  A shortage of meat protein will cause the already shortage of beans and rice to only get worse.

[Katcat1]

I agree with @SunSprite ,  stores  need to limit how much you purchase.  We don't need another shortage like Lysol spray and wipes.