Meat shortage not affecting Oklahoma yet

While areas of the nation may be seeing meat shortages, Oklahoma appears to be in good shape for the time being, officials said.

The closure of some meat processing plants in the country has created shortages in certain areas.

"We are, very fortunately, n o t s e e i n g a n y o f t h a t , "s ai d Agriculture Secretary

B l a y n e A r t h u r . "We a l s o acknowledge i t might be a possibility."

Jeff Reasor, president and CEO of Reasor's Foods, said getting some products to store shelves has been inconsistent, but t here i s plenty of f ood available.

S o m e c e r t a i n t y p e s o f chicken may not be i mmediately stocked, while other types are, Reasor said.

"The problem is getting it through the pipeline to the consumer," he said.

Ro y L e e L i n d s e y , e x e c - u t i v e d i r e c t o r o f t h e Oklahoma Pork Council, said COVID-19 has caused a major disruption in the food supply chain.

"At present, there is plenty of food," Lindsey said. "What we are seeing t oday, especially on the meat side, the pork industry in particular, is with the closing of our harvest facilities for live animals, we can't process the animals that are there. Our capacity is off."

Rodd Moesel, Oklahoma Farm Bureau president, said t he problem i s not l i mited to pork, but is also affecting poultry and cattle.

S o me p l a n t s h a v e s h u t down due to COVID-19, while others have reduced capacity in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, Moesel said.

"We are fortunate we don't have as much of a problem with the plants in our area," he said.

Shortages, he said, drive up the cost for consumers at the grocery store.

Michael Kelsey, executive vice president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, said plant closures and reductions a r e a f f e c t i n g f a r mers a n d ranchers i n Oklahoma who raise cattle.

It means those who raise cattle are getting less when they go to due to a backlog in the system, Kelsey said.