Only Higher Fat Content Hamburger is Available in This Meat Case at a Hannaford  Supermarket.  There are 63 Stores Across the State of Maine.

Two employees of Hannaford’s meat department acknowledged that the chain is experiencing meat shortages – that which has been obvious to shoppers for weeks –  but until today employees of the meat department denied to this blogger.

One employee said it was because of the shutdown of Tyson Foods and Smithfield Farms that the stores supply has been distributed.  “We take what we can get here,” he said.  “We get an allotment from our Scarborough warehouse.”

Tyson Foods has a frozen chicken plant in Portland and yesterday Dr. Nirav Shah, Director of the MaineCDC announced thirty-seven (37) employees of the plant have been tested positively for COVID-19.  The plant is expected to “idle” while deep cleaning goes on.  One can’t help wonder if the idle will become permanent – that would cause serious issues on many levels.

“Over the last month, dozens of meatpacking plants across the country have shut down because of coronavirus outbreaks, raising concerns about the country’s meat supply.  Now, the impact of those disruptions is reaching customers at fast-food drive-throughs as well as grocery stores like Wegmans and Hy-Vee, where certain meat products are coming harder to find,” is the theme of an article in today’s business section of THE NEW YORK TIMES, B1.

Now add Hannaford supermarkets to that list.

Portland City officials remain silent on the situation at Tyson Foods, Portland. City officials are missing a leadership moment to express their support and compassion for those affected by this deadly virus and for their families.  Maybe they are taking their cue from Trumpy who is unable to express empathy and support for the pain and suffering of others.