WINTERSET, Iowa — At the beginning of the pandemic there were meat shortages in grocery stores, while farmers livestock went to waste because meat lockers were booked up.
Local 5 talked to multiple local meat lockers and they said they're booked until the end of 2021.
At Kirkpatrick Locker in Winterset, employees said they are turning farmers away.
“Every day we got to. There’s people want to get a beef in or get a hog in," said Austin Wagner, lead meat cutter. "We can’t get anymore in this year because we’re so overly packed.”
Afraid of a second wave of Covid-19 and meat shortages in grocery stores, farmers are packing meat lockers to make sure their livestock will be processed and sold.
“It’s been crazy. Our volume has picked up a lot!”
They process meat at 68 center a pound.
Although booked, there are a couple slots open in April and May of 2021. Call 515-462-2124 to book a slot.