WINNIPEG, Manitoba/LONDON (Reuters) – There is no space on the variety for livestock, as shuttered slaughterhouses throughout The United States and Canada due to the pandemic leave farmers no place to ship their animals.
Beef livestock at the Kasko Livestock feedlot, which are affected by a supply chain blockage brought on by coronavirus disease (COVID-19) break outs at meat-packing plants, in Coaldale, Alberta, Canada May 6,2020 REUTERS/Todd Korol
Now fast-food chain Wendy’s says it is running out of beef, while Kroger and Costco limitation sales of some meat products, highlighting the growing dislocation in the meat supply chain.
Canada and the United States are among the world’s biggest beef exporters, but break outs have required plants owned by Cargill Inc, JBS SA and Tyson Foods to temporarily close or slow production, as they stabilize worker security with food security.
” It’s a dreadful situation for us to enjoy,” said Leighton Kolk, who normally ships 500 head of cattle to slaughter each week from his feedlot at Iron Springs, Alberta.
Recently, he moved 40 and is not exactly sure there will be a single bid today, at a time when he usually sees the highest costs of the year ahead of barbecue season. Each head of livestock that stays on his farm costs C$ 4 each day to feed.
” The customer is going to pay a substantial rate and we might approach monetary insolvency because