The Chicken and the Egg

Grocery stores: Is meat available and are consumers afraid to go?

The initial shock of COVID-19 scared consumers and increased panic buying; meat shortages have been reported to be an issue for consumers in some areas

May 29, 2020

Deven King

Consumers from 21 different states discuss meat and egg shortages and their opinions of going to the grocery store.

COVID-19: Plant-based, specialty product sales may drop

Many companies made big investments into the production of specialty products before COVID-19 hit the US, destroyed the economy and left customers with the need for comfort food.

May 21, 2020

Deven King

A down economy and the need for comfort food may minimize the sales of plant-based meats and other specialty products.

Millennials learning about food supply during COVID-19

Food shortages have created a higher demand for meat purchased directly off the farm

April 30, 2020

Deven King

For the first time in a long time, some consumers are looking directly at the farmer for answers and products, which offers a learning opportunity.

PETA uses COVID-19 to further its agenda

The organization has written letters to multiple CEOs, explaining that COVID-19 is reason to stop producing livestock meat and restructure business models

April 21, 2020

Deven King

PETA fails to address the fact that you cannot get COVID-19 from meat and instead of addressing concern for the employees who are considered essential, they tried to further the organization's agenda.

Poultry biosecurity plans prepared humans for COVID-19

As state lawmakers continue to put stay-at-home orders in place, people could learn to be safe by implementing some of the steps associated with poultry biosecurity.

March 31, 2020

Deven King

A lot of companies are providing agriculture-related educational worksheets to kids that currently can't go to school, perhaps something on biosecurity could be next and create trust between producers and consumers?

COVID-19 raises questions about egg market, boosts meat sales

Multiple reports indicate that sales are up, but what does that mean for the cage-free egg market and how long will meat sales be this high?

March 26, 2020

Deven King

Consumer demands are changing as panic buying is increasing sales, but for how long?

Is it time to start hiring members of Generation Z?

As Gen Z members increase in consumer power, it is important for companies to better understand how they think

February 28, 2020

Deven King

Gen Z has its own values, defining moments and behaviors that will be influential in buying decisions.

of Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg

Democratic candidate Bloomberg disparaged ag, or did he?

Comments made in 2016 by Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg are coming back to haunt him and probably won't help him win over the vote of rural America, but rural America needs to see the bigger picture here

February 20, 2020

Deven King

A short video of Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg discussing agriculture and the industrial industry in 2016 has recently surfaced. Some reports have said it will make it impossible for him to win the vote of rural America.

PETA blames meat eaters for barn fire, calls out cage-free

A large fire destroyed a barn and about 300,000 cage-free laying hens at a Konos egg farm, PETA is planning a billboard blaming people who are not yet vegans for the birds' deaths.

January 29, 2020

Deven King

A large fire destroyed a barn and killed about 300,000 cage-free laying hens, PETA blames anyone who isn't vegan in their new billboard.

Are alternative proteins just a trend?

Large animal protein companies are expecting growth in their alternative protein portfolios, however, some have suggested they believe sales will hit a ceiling

January 9, 2020

Deven King

I am afraid animal welfare and environmental concerns for a younger generation of consumers is going to play a bigger role in the demand for alternative proteins than we as livestock producers would like.