Demand for local meat products complicates scheduling at processing facilities

Demand for local meat products complicates scheduling at processing facilities

Local meat processors are still working through scheduling challenges sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tom Eickman with Eickman’s Processing in Seward, Illinois tells Brownfield stronger demand for local products has them booking slaughter appointments nearly a year in advance.

“It is such a far time frame for a farmer to try to figure out what he is gong to sell six, eight, even twelve months from now. I’m making a date for a hog that I have yet to even farrow, so it has kind of made a complicated system out there right now.”

He says higher cattle prices have also changed some plans.

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