Pandemic Compounds Problems for Indiana Agriculture
Tyson Fresh Meats in Logansport shut down operations for several days due to COVID-19. (photo courtesy: Tyson Foods Inc.)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowWhile the COVID-19 pandemic has not spared any sector of the economy, it seems to be hitting Indiana agriculture especially hard. Coming off a disastrous 2019 planting season and staring at low crop prices, Hoosier farmers were hoping for better times in 2020. “We were looking at 2020 as a year of renewal,” said Indiana Pork Checkoff Director Jeanette Merritt, (but) the pandemic really put another nail in the coffin for agriculture and for our pig farmers.”
On this week’s edition of Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick, our Top Story included a visit to a family farm in Allen County, were creative use of social media is helping stave off the economic impact of the pandemic.
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, pork producers nationally are expected to endure more than $5 billion in losses through the remainder of the year.
For pig farmers in Indiana, the temporary closure of two of the state’s largest pork processing plants – Tyson in Logansport and Indiana Packer in Delphi – has created a huge backlog, forcing farmers to keep animals on their farms for prolonged periods—spending more money to do so—or consider euthanizing them.
For over 46 years, Rick and Katrina Taylor have been independent pig farmers in Allen county. Normally, the Taylor’s would sell their hogs to Tyson. But given the plant’s recent coronavirus outbreak, Taylor Farms found itself with nowhere to sell its pigs.
“It’s going to take a while because they (Tyson) are only able to run one shift. They just can’t get enough employees to come in. Some of them are sick and can’t work,” said Rick Taylor, owner of Taylor Farms. “It’s just difficult, very difficult.”
But when the Taylor’s youngest daughter Emily secretly published a Facebook post advertising that her parent’s Monroeville farm had 1,200 hogs for sale, the phone started ringing and hasn’t stopped.
“I’d say 99% of people are going to take anywhere from one hog to 80 hogs. I’ve had calls from Alaska. Florida. California. A lot of people come from Michigan where we’ve probably sold over 200 head there.”
Since Taylor Farms’ initial Facebook post on April 30th, folks have been flocking to the tiny town of Monroeville located just outside of Fort Wayne to buy pigs. In fact, Taylor says he’s selling an average of 400 hogs per week.
Fellow farmer Chris Brown, who owns a ten acre farm in nearby Auburn, is one of Taylor’s many customers.
“I got a hold of Rick two weeks ago and bought two hogs. I am already back to get two more,” said Brown. “The whole reason we’re here is to help out another farmer. And quite honestly, I hope this is a growing trend for the future. I’d much rather buy hogs off of Rick than get it from the grocery store pre-packaged. It might be more work but there are definitely rewards.”
Brown continued, “if you only do it twice a year for a family of six, which is what I have, it just makes more sense. I just appreciate what Rick is doing and I hope we can continue buying straight from the farmer. It’s a great way to do it.”
Rick is particularly proud of the fact that he has been able to successfully sell his hogs, sparing him the task of euthanizing the animals.
“There’s a certain point where you lose less money if you just euthanize them,” said Taylor. “I’m so glad that people are buying them. It’s been good for everybody. A win-win situation for everybody.”
Farmers across the United States are dealing with the same problem; too much livestock and nowhere to take it. Thanks to social media, Rick and his wife have figured out a new way to do business. And it just so happens to be right in the palm of their hands.
“They call me. They text me.”
Taylor is fielding over 100 calls per day from people interested in purchasing his pigs. He says his preferred method of communication with customers is via text message.
“I have something already made up as a text. I just copy and paste it, and send it to them,” said Taylor. “They text me back with how many they want. When they’d like to pick them up.”
Rick’s wife Katrina takes care of the scheduling, recording each customer’s name, and day, and time of pick up.
“They show up and we just load them up,” said Taylor.
Currently, Rick says he’s booked out for the next two weeks. And the week after that, he said the Tyson plant in Logansport told him ‘they’ll need a load too.’
“We’re set,” Taylor smiles. “I mean, I went from depression to happy, happy, happy.”
If you are interested in purchasing a hog from Taylor Farms, call or message Rick Taylor at (260)-312-7254.
