U.S. faces meat shortage while its pork exports to China soar

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pork-braun/us-faces-meat-shortage-while-its-pork-exports-to-china-soar-braun-idUSKBN22H2Q6

by ping_pong • 6 years ago

21 8 6 years ago

reuters.com

smoyer2• 6 years ago

This article contradicts my (sample size of one) observations at local grocery stores (in central PA, USA). Pork has been and remains the cheapest meat in the grocery store and there's pork there even when beef and chicken shelves are empty. In contrast, I just ordered a 1/4 cow from a local farm because beef prices have continued to go up. Fortunately, we have a large freezer! During the COVID-19 pandemic, the meat that is hardest to purchase is chicken wings.

Here's an interesting question ... if pork is so cheap, why are bacon and ham so expensive?

johncearls• 6 years ago

The problem is meat processing plants, not the abundance of livestock.

ryanchants• 6 years ago

Anecdotally, I've eaten 1.5 lbs of chicken wings 4 days a week for the last 2 weeks or so. Just bought another 9lbs a few hours ago.

smoyer2• 6 years ago

I suspected that meat shortages are localized (much like the R(t) of the new coronavirus.

staticautomatic• 6 years ago

Guess we know who's responsible for the shortage!

blaser-waffle• 6 years ago

To be fair, finding cheap pork in Central PA isn't hard -- is farm country, yo. We used to get 1/2 pig or 1/4 cow packages from local Mennonite farms.

But I'm guessing the issue is processing -- bacon requires salting and smoking, and ham usually has steps to it as well. If those factories can't be made worker-safe then nothing gets brined & smoked -- no bacon :(

gedy• 6 years ago

I've been noticing these "meat shortage" stories recently, but not seeing any evidence yet. Are news outlets trying to stir up a story or panic? Seems self fulfilling if people start hoarding.

ThrowawayR2• 6 years ago

I'd imagine that, much like running off of a UPS during a power failure, nothing obvious would happen until warehouses and other reserves are depleted.

U.S. faces meat shortage while its pork exports to China soar

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