Meat Shortage Could Mean Higher Prices

April 30, 2020

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- First it was the toilet paper.

Then, it was the Lysol and Clorox wipes.

Now, the Coronavirus is causing another shortage for shoppers.

Grocery stores across the country are experiencing meat shortages.

Food City says they are preparing for possible hoarding by limiting meat purchases to two per customer.

Food City President and CEO, Steve Smith says, “We put this on there so that people won’t come buy 10 packs of ground beef or ten packs of beef. We want everybody to have a shot.”

Meat packing plants across the country are closing because many workers are testing positive for COVID-19.

President Trump signed an executive order declaring meat processing plants are critical right now.

Safeguarding our nation’s food supply is a critical component necessary to defeat the spread of coronavirus. I support the President’s use of the Defense Production Act to ensure American families have a reliable supply of food to put on their tables. https://t.co/bBE2xAhhrE

— Rep. Liz Cheney (@RepLizCheney) April 29, 2020

Meat plants closing, could mean that we see a rise in meat prices such as beef.

Food City Meat Director, Steve Holloway says, “We’ve seen anywhere between 25 and 30 perfect increases already in the last couple of weeks and we foresee more. Obviously, we are doing everything we can to hold those prices down so that our customers can afford to buy the groceries that they need.”

Don’s Meat Shop in Hixson says that they are having to make adjustments to their meat supply.

Donnie Rains, Don’s Meat Shop Owner says, “I’m just shopping more people. I do business with more than one vendor. So, I’m having to bounce around and by product where I can get it.”

Rains says that his business has more than doubled since the virus began.

“The real problem at the retail level has been labor, trying to keep up with all of the products that you make. Because, you’ve gone from 0 to 100 in a second”, adds Rains.

News 12 reached out to JBS which is the company that owns and operates Pilgrim’s Pride chicken factory.

But, we did not hear back from them.