Business has been brisk recently at R&B Rhyne Farms in Angier, North Carolina, where Rex and Beth Rhyne produce pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken. More North Carolina shoppers have been seeking farmers like the Rhynes to provide local sources of meat since Aug. 21, when the U.S. announced plans to import tariff-free beef in an attempt to lower grocery store prices.
“We have seen a 30% increase in inquiries, store visits and sales the last month,” Beth Rhyne reports. “The greatest request has been for locally sourced beef. Our bulk beef inquiries and sales have gone up significantly. Customers want to know exactly where their meat comes from.”
The Rhynes, like many other producers of pasture-raised meat and poultry in North Carolina, sell their products in bulk on MeatSuite.com, a platform managed by NC Choices, a program that strengthens North Carolina’s local meat industry with support from NC State Extension, using the tagline, “Find your farmer. Fill your freezer.” Whether it’s 10 pounds of ground beef, a selection of meat for the grill or a whole animal, options are plentiful.
For meal planning, a new, built-in tool at the top of the screen shows shoppers how many servings a bulk purchase will provide for a family, along with the cost per meal, simplifying the process for those unfamiliar with bulk buying.
“With our economy, inflation and various other things happening in the marketplace, our local food is somewhat insulated from those market price changes,” says NC State Extension's Sarah Blacklin, program director for NC Choices. “The local meat on MeatSuite can actually be cost-competitive, or even cheaper in some cases, compared to what you would buy from the grocery store. That’s attractive right now, not only for the stability of it, but the cost competitiveness.”
Source : ncsu.edu