Meat Shortages On The Horizon?

National

President Trump says he'll sign an executive order forcing meat processing plants to stay open after more than a dozen shut down due to COVID-19 outbreaks among workers.

by: Jay Gray

Posted: Apr 28, 2020 / 05:33 PM CDT / Updated: Apr 28, 2020 / 05:33 PM CDT

(NBC News) In an unforeseen and increasingly dangerous side-effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus is threatening America’s food supply chain.

More than a dozen major meat processing facilities have shut down after workers fell ill.

Now, president trump is expected to sign an executive order compelling meat processing plants to stay open.

“I never thought that ever in the United States, unless there was an act of war declared on us where we couldn’t put people in the packing plants, that we would ever, ever have an issue like this,” says hog farmer Jim Bartling.

The closures are now affecting suppliers.

Cattle stalls and feeding pens are increasingly empty, with ranchers now forced to do something they never imagined. Millions of market ready animals are expected to be euthanized at farms and ranches across the country.

The end result will be higher prices in grocery stores, especially if shoppers rush in and empty shelves.

“There’s no reason to come in and by 60 pound of ground beef, that’s hoarding, that’s panic buying,” says grocer Joe Lane of Mike’s Market.

Many are worried shortages could be felt in some markets by the end of the week.