Local Grocers Not Alarmed By Food Plant Closures

A front page ad in major publications has many people around the nation panicking about a potential food shortage.

FARGO, N.D. – Our food supply chain is strained, and the coronavirus was to blame.

That’s according to full page ads bought by Tyson Foods in three major publications.

They state that the supply chain has been broken, and consumers would suffer because of it.

But local grocers say that in our neck of the woods, consumers won’t go hungry.

“There were a lot of meat processing plants that are closing that are independent. That will certainly impact people, but not in this market,” said Hornbachers President Matt Leiseth.

Hornbachers says that while plant closings around the nation may impact other areas, the suppliers our local grocery stores rely on are either operational, or preparing to open back up.

“Even the South Dakota plant is going to reopen in the coming weeks,” said Leiseth, “Every plant is going to be trying to do the same thing. They will have to put their safety measures in place. There will be these fits and inconveniences along the way.”

The Smithfield plant in South Dakota was ordered closed for two weeks after over 200 workers tested positive for COVID-19.

That plant supplies 5% of the nations pork.

Hornbachers says that even with that plant closure, there is still more than enough meat to stock the shelves.

“We aren’t promoting the Smithfield line of pork right now, because there just isn’t enough supply to do an ad, but there’s enough supply to have it on the shelf every day,” said Leiseth, “What’s really happening is it’s squeezing the ability to promote it.”

“It’s like toilet paper, nobody would take out an ad for toilet paper right now because they know they don’t have enough quantity to advertise, but we have toilet paper on the shelf every day,” said Leiseth.

So while you may think it’s time to run out and go buy pork and beef, grocers say there’s no reason to panic just yet, because there will still be plenty left in stock.

“That’s a huge inconvenience, but to get to a point where we aren’t going to have food… I just don’t see that happening,” said Leiseth.