jcolli140 - 3/17/2020 06:34

The whole debacle going on right now is going to test our countries distribution system on a huge level. Local warehouses are going to start running low and things will need to be trucked farther and farther and supplies are only going to get tighter. Im not trying to argue for or against how bad this will get or how long it will go on but i would like to talk about the positives that could come out of this.

I have mentioned before that my parents own a small butcher shop that they built in 2009. They have a storefront and killing capacity of 12-15 head of cattle per week and maybe 20 hogs. They have been absolutely swamped since Thursday. My brother said they sold 1,400# of burger alone this weekend. I sell some steers to them to supply the storefront, but most go to fill their orders of freezer beef. Which brings me to my point- i feel like this is a golden opportunity for feeders to push freezer beef as a safe, healthy, secure source of food. If there really is a break down in the supply of beef, people will get hungry. I think the evidence is already there that food is taken granted of, but a quick reminder to your friends/family/neighbors etc that you have a readily available supply of good quality beef at a fair price could really jump start sales of freezer beef. I understand i am lucky that i have an in with my parents butcher shop, so i can usually get one squeezed in the schedule or whatever. The main reason they built it was because trying to get a steer in at one if the few other local butcher shops was nearly impossible, and its my understanding that is a problem alot of other people see across the country too.

I just wanted to start a discussion on this to maybe spur some interest of others in pursuing more freezer beef sales. Yes, it comes with more footwork, phone calls and occasionally dealing with stupid people, but it cam be a win win for both the consumer and the feeder. I posted a pic of a steer on here that was in my lot, just a nice solid steer. He weighed 952# hanging, and i get $2.40 per pound hanging weight. If i sent him to the salebarn he would have brought around 94 cents, so over $700 advantage to selling him private.

Hopefully this whole thing blows over and amounts to nothing, but i figure guys might as well strike whike the iron is hot. I plan on pushing my freezer beef sales harder, and i urge you guys to at least give it some thought.