Alva Review-Courier -

"Disruptions in normal activities due to COVID-19 have produced a surge in at-home food demand," stated Derrell Peel, OSU Extension Livestock marketing specialist. Recent reports indicate a 77 percent year-over-year increase in grocery meat sales in mid-March. Peel notes, "This spike in grocery demand has overwhelmed the retail meat supply chain resulting in temporary shortages of meat in many grocery stores."

These shortages are due to the tremendous logistical challenges of shifting meat supplies from food service channels to retail grocery channels. Regional distributors are not able to fill orders from their current stock of boxed beef, pork and poultry. In Woods County, grocery stores have reported receiving only 35% of what they ordered. They continue to request additional meat shipments.

Peel reassures meat consumers, "It is critical for consumers to know that there is no shortage of meat in the U.S.; in fact, production of beef, pork and poultry are projected at record levels in 2020." Total meat production in the first quarter of 2020 is estimated at 26.9 billion pounds, up 6.9 percent year over year. Comparing 2019 to 2020, broiler production is estimated to increase 5.8 percent, pork production 4.4 percent and beef production 3.9 percent. Production of all meat is projected to be up 4.3 percent in 2020.