Article

2020-04-26 -Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

Hog-Culling Next As Meatpacking Plants Shutter Operations Stoking Food Shortage Fears In Weeks

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Posted by KBK 2020-04-26 00:38|| || Front Page|| [11125 views ] Top

#1 Probably pick up a couple racks of ribs at Sam's on Monday.

Posted by M. Murcek 2020-04-26 00:47|| 2020-04-26 00:47|| Front Page Top

#2 Madness. What is this, the Soviet Famine of 1921?

What country are we living in? Why are we tolerating this idiocy?

Posted by Lex 2020-04-26 01:17|| 2020-04-26 01:17|| Front Page Top

#3 The processors are dragging their feet to try to keep prices up -- two weeks ago they were complaining the restaurants weren't open so the choice cuts of beef weren't selling at their regular price.

The closures I've heard about account for maybe 10% of the national capacity -- a pain, but not crippling.

And remember -- food processing is a key industry. They've never been shut down.

Posted by Rob Crawford 2020-04-26 01:20|| 2020-04-26 01:20|| Front Page Top

#4 There's an ideal time to slaughter hogs or beef cattle, but you can adjust feeding schedules and cut back on breeding and go on from there.

Posted by M. Murcek 2020-04-26 01:32|| 2020-04-26 01:32|| Front Page Top

#5 What country are we living in? Why are we tolerating this idiocy?

To be safe from infection, people working in meat packing plant need PPE as good as the one medical personnel is using. Plus frequent breaks and a places to spend these breaks - because one can't function very long in protective clothing. Plus daily checkups. You decide what kind of country you're living in.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2020-04-26 03:49|| 2020-04-26 03:49|| Front Page Top

#6 ...the one that dumps hundreds of thousands of premmies into the dumpster because its a woman's right?

Posted by Procopius2k 2020-04-26 08:16|| 2020-04-26 08:16|| Front Page Top

#7 #6 I must admit that, given the overall context, you comment caused some - fairly unpleasant - associations, P2k.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2020-04-26 08:49|| 2020-04-26 08:49|| Front Page Top

#8 Meat packing workers seem to avoid e. coli for the most part though tons of meat products are thrown away every year because of e. coli contamination.

Posted by M. Murcek 2020-04-26 09:33|| 2020-04-26 09:33|| Front Page Top

#9 Excess milk, eggs, chicks, potatoes, piggies, babies, Grom?

Posted by Skidmark 2020-04-26 09:40|| 2020-04-26 09:40|| Front Page Top

#10 All stuff to be sacrificed to ~~moloch~~ magic numbers.

Posted by M. Murcek 2020-04-26 10:37|| 2020-04-26 10:37|| Front Page Top

#11 Ought to be more toilet paper.

Posted by JohnQC 2020-04-26 11:04|| 2020-04-26 11:04|| Front Page Top

#12 A contact in Europe says the local grocery store is fully stocked with "bath tissue". Not one hint of hoarding or supply issues. The only thing (generally) is that prices have gone up on some items. NFI.

Posted by Clem 2020-04-26 11:08|| 2020-04-26 11:08|| Front Page Top

#13 Shelves were full of everything paper, except TP, which was only half full yesterday. Meat counters, dairy, all full

Posted by Frank G 2020-04-26 11:19|| 2020-04-26 11:19|| Front Page Top

#14 About the only thing I'm seeing an improvement in is facial tissue and in more than one shop. I did witness paper towels once. And TP once in Walmart, a very very cheap (generic) version. But, they had some....one and only time.

Posted by Clem 2020-04-26 11:23|| 2020-04-26 11:23|| Front Page Top

#15 A contact in Europe says the local grocery store is fully stocked with "bath tissue".

That's cause they don't give a shit.

Posted by Skidmark 2020-04-26 17:01|| 2020-04-26 17:01|| Front Page Top

#16 The biggest shortages are in convenience foods -- the easier it is to prepare, the harder it is to find. Pastas, rice, canned vegetables, beans -- those are were I still see empty shelves. Pre-made (heat and eat) food seems to be under stress; spot shortages of some things, but that varied from store to store. Based on what's being promoted, producers may be favoring "family size" packages, but I'm not sure supply chains and promotions have been able to react that fast.

Produce looks fine. I'm not an early shopper, and I can still find what I need.

Both shops had plenty of paper goods, including name brands.

The first few weeks cheaper beef and any chicken were hard to find, but that seems to have shaken out.

I shop twice each week -- once for my dad and once for myself. I hit a national chain store and a local store; if absolutely necessary I'll stop at another just to get what my dad wants. This week the only substitution was picking a different brand, and I had to pick up one item with my shopping. For myself, I grab usually have a list, but if necessary I can adapt to what's available.

I've never had to touch any preps, even the emergency reserve toilet paper.

Posted by Rob Crawford 2020-04-26 17:39|| 2020-04-26 17:39|| Front Page Top

#17 Speaking of pigs, here is a song about four wet pigs by Greg Brown.

Here's a little song about four wet pigs,
Just a little song about four wet pigs.
Two are little, two are big,
They're all dancin' at the Mudtown Jig.

The two that're little, little as an ear of corn,
Two that're big are bigger than a barn,
Bigger than a barn, taller than a tree,
When they go to the factory.

Cut 'em into bacon, slice 'em into ham,
Chop 'em into hot dogs, squeeze 'em into Spam.
Throw their little eyes out in the rain,
Throw their little eyes out in the rain,
Throw their beady little piggy eyes out into the rain,
Pickle their feet and pickle their brains.
(Oooogh.)

Here's a little story about two wet pigs,
Standin' at the slop trough smokin' their cigs.
Wishin' to god they'd never get big,
Dancin' out their hearts,
Dancin' out their hearts,
Dancin' out their hearts at the Mudtown Jig.
(Dance little piggies.)

Posted by Alaska Paul 2020-04-26 18:06|| 2020-04-26 18:06|| Front Page Top

#18 Yeast. Apparently that sees seasonal peaks, and it hard to ramp up production

Posted by James 2020-04-26 18:57|| https://idontknowbut.blogspot.com 2020-04-26 18:57|| Front Page Top

#19 Even the King Arthur Flour website is out of yeast at the moment. But Cooks Illustrated has a recipe for a sourdough starter that does not waste pounds of flour in the process, James. Link

Posted by trailing wife 2020-04-26 20:41|| 2020-04-26 20:41|| Front Page Top

23:53 Clem
23:47 trailing wife
23:32 Lex
23:28 Whiskey Mike
23:10 Clem
23:06 trailing wife
23:01 trailing wife
22:49 Lex
22:45 trailing wife
22:39 Bobby
22:34 Clem
22:30 Clem
22:27 Besoeker
22:26 Lex
22:24 Lex
22:16 Lex
22:12 bbrewer126
22:05 trailing wife
21:44 Bobby
21:41 Clem
21:39 SteveS
21:35 Clem
21:34 Frank G
21:32 KBK