Missouri Meat Producer Directory now available

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted supply chains for all kinds of consumer goods. The first signs of trouble appeared in the form of empty shelving where toilet paper formerly sat. Soon to follow were paper towels, bleach, and all manner of cleaning supplies. A few stores ran short on milk and dairy products for a few days.

In recent weeks, some Americans began to encounter bare shelves in their grocery store’s protein aisle. While there is no shortage whatsoever of pigs, cattle, or poultry on America’s farms, COVID-19 affected workers at several processing plants, and slowdowns and temporary closures, created a bottleneck in the supply chain. According to the Missouri Farm Bureau the bottleneck has already eased considerably as processors installed new safety measures, but many families have been exploring other options to get the meat they want and need.
Eric Bohl with Missouri Farm Bureau tells us they first created the Missouri Agritourism Directory a few years ago which allowed farmers and local agriculture operations to share their information. He says now they have created the Missouri Meat Producer Director which allows people to have access to locally grown meat.

He said the local producers are under USDA or state inspection guidelines…

The Missouri Meat Producer Directory, available at mofb.org. This database is a statewide, county-by-county listing of farmers who sell beef, pork, lamb, and poultry directly to consumers. The list also includes meat processors from across the state. Many processors have fresh and frozen meat cases and offer processing services to farmers and consumers.
Today the searchable directory lists more than 500 local producers.