MACON, Ga. — In cow pastures across the state, some farmers are seeing prices drop for their livestock.
"It costs us more to raise them up and get them on the truck than we received for them. Yes, it's a loss," Monroe County cattle farmer James Vaughn said.
Vaughn produces cattle for feed lots in the Midwest. He says part of the issue now stems from the coronavirus pandemic.
"I think the problem is just the fear and uncertainty in the commodity markets in general that people are just afraid to invest their money in something that won't turn their money into a salable product for several months."
He says the uncertainty in the buying, selling, and trade market is taking a hit on business.
"What is affecting us is the Chicago Board of Trade, the commodity boards, and they have been wildly gyrating up and down creating great uncertainty in all of the beef markets."
Vaughn says this doesn't mean there is a shortage of beef, it's just in the wrong places right now.
"There's plenty of cattle in the feed lots, and there's plenty of them being harvested every day. It's just that the demand has shifted, from restaurants to grocery stores and until the supply chain can keep up, it's going to be hard to get."
Now, the United States Cattlemen's Association is calling on the nation's Department of Agriculture to take immediate steps for the impact from the coronavirus.
In a letter, they say they "created a special task force to address the market fallout as a result of the coronavirus."
"We are an essential industry, and we're going to have to keep moving around and shipping things and going to stores and buying feed and products to keep these animals healthy and growing," says Vaughn.
As time goes on, Vaughn believes the market will adjust.
"I believe that those people that were eating beef in restaurants are still eating it, they're just eating it at home."
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