Consumers turn to local farms during meat shortage

HOUSTON - "Instead of coming in and ordering a steak or a pound of ground beef, they may order 5, 6, maybe even 10 pounds," said Herman Meyer owner of Midway Meat Market in Katy. "It's pretty obvious when you see that they're stocking up they're afraid they're going to get caught short."

"There's no shortage of animals the same amount has been here all this time," said Honi Beaudreaux owner of Jolie Vue Farm."This time the problem lies in the production line."

COVID-19 is taking a toll on meat processing plants.
Workers are side by side.

If one person tests positive for COVID-19 those nearby are also sent home.

That means some local farmers are seeing a surge in business.

"Local farmers work with local butcher shops and local processors," Beaudreaux said. "My animals are handled by only one other person then we load them on the trailer take them to the processor then I take them to my customers."

Honi and her husband Glen Beaudreaux say they are seeing an increase in business.

Consumers worried about meat shortages or higher meat prices are turning to local farmers like the Beaudreauxs.

"We're 80 miles away we take it to our processor in High Hill Texas we pick it up a week later bring it back to the farm put it on the truck and ship it directly to your door," Glen Beaudreaux said. "It's hard to find an interruption in our supply chain."