With inventory being depleted and three glatt kosher meat packing plants out of service, the scramble for glatt kosher meat intensified in markets throughout the country.
The Iowa and Nebraska plants of Agriprocessors as well as the Minnesota plant of Alle Packing, which was shut down due to problems stemming from a fire in June, accounted for the slaughter of over 1,000 cattle a day. Despite discussion of a possible reorganization of Agri, meat cases in stores all over the county were empty this week.
Shortages of Kosher Meat Reported Throughout the Country
With inventory being depleted and three glatt kosher meat packing plants out of service, the scramble for glatt kosher meat intensified in markets throughout the country.
The Iowa and Nebraska plants of Agriprocessors as well as the Minnesota plant of Alle Packing, which was shut down due to problems stemming from a fire in June, accounted for the slaughter of over 1,000 cattle a day. Despite discussion of a possible reorganization of Agri, meat cases in stores all over the county were empty this week.
Many stores reported increased sales of poultry and fish. One rabbi in the West told KosherToday: “This past Shabbos was the first in a long time that my wife made a pareve cholent.” The rabbi said that he was hoping to lug back several boxes of meat on a trip to attend a wedding in Brooklyn next week.
Meanwhile, prices continued to rise in markets where the meta was available and for poultry nationwide. Kosher food prices in general have been on the increase, as have prices for all foods. Higher feed costs for chickens, hogs and cattle, will lift U.S. food prices 7% in 2009, according to economists from the National Chicken Council and the consultancy Farm Econ. “The sizable increase in the cost of producing food has not been fully passed on to the consumer,” said private consultant Bill Lapp, reported Reuters.
There was somewhat of a silver lining in that some sources were saying that lower fuel prices and a reduction in shipping costs may mitigate the increases. Wegmans said that it was anticipating slashing prices on hundreds of dairy, meat, produce, frozen and bakery items in anticipation of lower food and shipping costs in 2009.
In the meantime, kosher caterers in many parts of the country report that the shortages, price increases, and the effects of a sluggish economy are cutting into their businesses. Many customers are cutting back on the “extras,” which is traditionally a profit center for the caterers.
chani farron
when one yid is hurt we have to say how can i help (were to taught that as yidden were all responsible for one another and more in chassidus) when it effects all of us we need to say what do i need to correct in myself to change the situation could it be that a big gizara was to happen to all yidden and its the Rabashkin family thats feeling it the most??????????
Pentax
Someone please explain:
Agriprocessors filed for Bankruptcy under chapter 11
which protects you from your debts so that you can
reorganize a company.
Yesterday Circuit city declared Bankruptcy under chapter
11 so that it can reorganize and evaluate the situation.
So is Agriprocessors even closing, or is it trying to
reorganize?
abe
“Many customers are cutting back on the “extras,” which is traditionally a profit center for the caterers.”
Should we run them a benefit?
me
True comment us jews and specifically lubavitchers!!! ( wether your a stupid anti or a stupid mishichist or somewhere in between) Need to wake up and smell the coffee!!!we need to get over our beliefs and go back to the basics— Doing Acts of Goodness and kindness!!
hhhhh
serves em all right.
all those ppl dancing when agri was done…
we gonna pay…
no name
Those peoples who made agri suffer should have all the tzores turn back on them.
Joe the Plummer
Any practical suggestions who’s meat or chiken we can eat or buy, while things IY”H get back to normal…please let us know…
Mendel
Circuit City had employees and stock; Agriprocessors has no workers and no stock. We’ll miss you Shor Habor and Aaron’s, but time to look for another meat packer. Same as we need a new CHJCC. Kerplunck!!
war on kosher
Take action!
http://www.waronkosher.com
Hirschel Pekkar
BH. Just as speaking bad about a person, kills all three, spiritually, which is worse than phisically, so speaking good about a person gives life to all three, the one who speaks, the one who hears, and the one about who we speak.
You are all beautifull, G-D bless you all.
annoyed
Mendel- go to hell and eat hebrew national.
well miss you! agri aint going anywhere
AZ
I believe that the chickens are still in production, but the meat is out of commision.
lloyd a cohen
Those who live outside of the mainstream Jewish communities are going to be hurt more so by the meat shortage. One of Rubashkin’s big positives was that he enabled Jews in off beat places to have a supply of kosher food. Now they more so than other communities will be hurting.
This whole affair smells. You had full time inspectors from the FDA and from the stage agencies as well, and they did not see anything wrong or workers that looked to be underage. AIt seekms that some group was out to get Rubashkin whether it was the unions–he is not unionized, the liberal jews who did not like his business practices 0r PETA. Other companies have done far worse and not been subject of such action as thjis.